How does WPA2 improve upon the original WPA?

WPA2 improves upon the original WPA primarily by integrating the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption protocol, which provides a higher level of security compared to the TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) used in WPA. AES is a symmetric key encryption standard that is widely recognized for its robustness and effectiveness in safeguarding data, making it the preferred choice for secure wireless communication.

While WPA utilized TKIP to improve encryption over the older WEP standard, it was still susceptible to certain vulnerabilities. With WPA2, the adoption of AES not only enhanced encryption strength but also offered better performance due to its efficiency in processing and its ability to encrypt data in larger blocks. This transition reflects a significant advancement in wireless security, as AES is capable of supporting a wider range of cryptographic algorithms and is considered much more secure against contemporary attacks.

Other options do not accurately describe how WPA2 builds on its predecessor. For instance, RSA is not used in the Wi-Fi Protected Access protocols for encryption. TKIP alone is not exclusive to WPA2, and WEP compatibility is not a feature of WPA2, as it was designed to eliminate the vulnerabilities of WEP altogether.