What does WEP stand for in wireless network security?

WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, which refers to a security protocol that was designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security comparable to what is typically found in wired networks. The protocol aims to ensure data confidentiality by encrypting data that is transmitted over wireless channels, thereby preventing unauthorized access and eavesdropping.

The main function of WEP is to protect wireless communications by using basic encryption techniques, which involved the use of a shared secret key among users. When it was introduced, WEP was a significant advancement in wireless security, though it has since been found to have several vulnerabilities and weaknesses, leading to its replacement by more secure protocols like WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WPA2.

The other options do not accurately describe what WEP stands for in the context of wireless network security.