What does the acronym WEP stand for in wireless networking?

The acronym WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy. It was one of the original security protocols designed for wireless networks to provide a level of security comparable to what would typically be found on a wired network. WEP was intended to ensure that wireless communication had a similar level of protection.

While it offers some degree of security, WEP has known vulnerabilities that can be exploited, which is why it is largely considered outdated and has been replaced by more secure protocols such as WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WPA2. Understanding WEP is crucial in the context of wireless security, especially when discussing the evolution of network security protocols and the importance of using more secure methods today.