Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

The WPS protocol categorizes wireless devices, as follows:

• Enrollees: Devices seeking connection to the network
• Registrars: Devices that can connect and disconnect devices
• Access points (AP): A medium between enrollees and registrars with registrar capabilities

APs that are WPS certified use a personal identification number (PIN) and button to connect devices. The PIN, located on the wireless device display, must be entered at the AP, or vice versa. Buttons may be physical or virtual and must be pushed to connect two or more devices.

Unfortunately, WPS is prone to brute-force attacks, which can allow other devices to connect to a network. One attack may last up to four hours until the perpetrator figures out the correct PIN. This vulnerability can be countered by imposing restrictions or disabling the WPS feature after several incorrect attempts to input the PIN. However, in some devices, the WPS feature is not disabled if it is turned off.