CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What protocol is used with WPA2 to offer data confidentiality?

1. CCMP

2. GCMP

3. WEP

4. TKIP

The correct answer is: CCMP

WPA2, which stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, utilizes the CCMP protocol to provide data confidentiality. CCMP stands for Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol and is based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). This protocol encrypts the information transmitted over a wireless network, ensuring that data remains confidential and protected from eavesdropping. The use of AES in CCMP provides a higher level of security compared to earlier protocols. CCMP not only offers data confidentiality but also ensures data integrity and authenticity, which are critical for secure wireless communications. This comprehensive security model makes CCMP a fundamental component of WPA2. Other choices, such as TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol), were used in the earlier version of WPA to improve security over WEP but do not provide the same level of sophistication and security as CCMP does in WPA2. GCMP is another protocol that is associated with WPA3 and utilizes AES-GCM mode, but it is not applicable within the context of WPA2. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is an outdated protocol known for its vulnerabilities and is not used in WPA2. Thus, CCMP stands out as the correct and appropriate answer in the context of data confidentiality under WPA