MSK, in the context of Wi-Fi, stands for Master Session Key.
The Master Session Key is the initial key generated during a secure Wi-Fi connection setup. It's the foundation upon which other encryption keys are derived, ensuring a secure and encrypted communication between a wireless client and an access point.
Here's a breakdown:
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Purpose: The MSK serves as the seed value for deriving subsequent session keys used for encrypting and decrypting data packets during a Wi-Fi session.
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Generation: The MSK is generated either from the 802.1X/EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) authentication process or derived from the PSK (Pre-Shared Key) authentication method.
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Key Hierarchy: The MSK sits at the top of the key hierarchy in a Wi-Fi security protocol like WPA/WPA2/WPA3. Other keys, such as the Pairwise Transient Key (PTK) and Group Temporal Key (GTK), are derived from it.
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Security: The strength of the MSK is crucial to the overall security of the Wi-Fi connection. A strong and randomly generated MSK makes it significantly harder for attackers to compromise the network.
In essence, the MSK is the cornerstone of secure Wi-Fi communication, ensuring that only authorized devices can access the network and that data transmitted over the airwaves remains confidential.
