112-52 · Question #156
Which wireless encryption protocol uses a pre-shared key and AES encryption?
The correct answer is C. WPA2. WPA2 (C) is correct because it uses both a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) for authentication and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for data encryption - making it the industry standard for secure Wi-Fi since 2004. WEP (A) is wrong - it uses RC4 encryption, not AES, and is considered crypt
Question
Which wireless encryption protocol uses a pre-shared key and AES encryption?
Options
- AWEP
- BWPA
- CWPA2
- DWPS
How the community answered
(19 responses)- C95% (18)
- D5% (1)
Explanation
WPA2 (C) is correct because it uses both a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) for authentication and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) for data encryption - making it the industry standard for secure Wi-Fi since 2004.
- WEP (A) is wrong - it uses RC4 encryption, not AES, and is considered cryptographically broken.
- WPA (B) is wrong - it uses TKIP encryption (an improvement over WEP's RC4, but still not AES) and was a transitional standard.
- WPS (D) is wrong - it's a setup protocol (for connecting devices via PIN or button), not an encryption protocol at all.
Memory tip: Think "WPA2 = 2 features you want: PSK + AES" - the "2" marks the upgrade that brought true AES encryption to consumer Wi-Fi.
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Grace U.Feb 27, 2026WPA2 is the one you want here, so the answer is C. The earlier protocols trip people up because WEP does use a shared key but relies on the much weaker RC4 cipher, and WPA was the stopgap that introduced TKIP while the industry waited for something better. WPA2 is what brought AES into the standard as a requirement, which is exactly what the question is describing. WPS is a setup convenience feature, not an encryption protocol at all, so you can rule that one out the moment you read it.
Oluwafemi F.Jun 27, 2026WPA2 is your answer, C. It is defined by IEEE 802.11i and mandates AES with CCMP as the encryption standard, which is what makes it meaningfully stronger than its predecessors. WEP uses RC4 with a static key and was broken years ago, WPA was a stopgap that still leaned on RC4 via TKIP, and WPS is a provisioning method, not an encryption protocol at all. When the question pairs a pre-shared key mode with AES, that combination points directly to WPA2-Personal, and you should be able to eliminate the other three options in under ten seconds on the actual exam.
Anjali D.Jun 29, 2026Solid breakdown, though worth flagging that WPA3 also uses AES with an even stronger handshake (SAE instead of PSK), so if the question stem mentions anything about "simultaneous authentication of equals" or "dragonfly," do not let the AES reference pull you toward WPA2 automatically.
Hiroshi T.Mar 20, 2026WPA2 uses AES with a PSK, but do you know why WPA still defaulted to TKIP?
Anjali D.Jun 18, 2026Saw almost this exact wording on my exam last month and I second-guessed myself for a second because WPA also supports AES in some configurations, but the key detail that locked it in for me was "pre-shared key combined with AES as the mandatory cipher," which points straight to WPA2 (C). WPA defaulted to TKIP and only optionally used AES, so once I remembered that distinction I felt solid on C and moved on.
Arvydas C.Mar 11, 2026WPA2 is correct. It mandates AES-CCMP as its encryption cipher and supports PSK mode (WPA2-Personal), which is exactly what distinguishes it from WPA, which still fell back on TKIP and RC4 in many implementations.
Dervla O.Feb 24, 2026Read the stem twice and pull out the two constraints: pre-shared key AND AES. That combination locks you into WPA2, because WEP predates both modern key management and AES entirely, WPA relies on TKIP as its primary cipher, and WPS is a setup protocol not an encryption scheme, so you can eliminate three options before you even think hard about the fourth. On my Security+ sitting two years back I hit a question worded almost identically, and I caught myself about to bubble WPA out of habit because I associated "pre-shared key" with it, but the AES requirement is what saves you there, WPA made AES optional where WPA2 mandates it. The stem is doing the work for you if you let it, so trust the two constraints together rather than reacting to one keyword alone.