IEEE
AMENDMENT 6: MEDIUM ACCESS CONTROL (MAC) SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS Std 802.11i-2004
Copyright © 2004 IEEE. All rights reserved.
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3.97 pairwise transient key (PTK): A value that is derived from the pairwise master key (PMK), Authenti-
cator address (AA), Supplicant address (SPA), Anthenticator nonce (ANonce), and Supplicant nonce
(SNonce) using the pseudo-random function (PRF) and that is split up into as many as five keys, i.e., tempo-
ral encryption key, two temporal message integrity code (MIC) keys, EAPOL-Key encryption key (KEK),
EAPOL-Key confirmation key (KCK).
3.98 pairwise transient key security association (PTKSA): The context resulting from a successful
4-Way Handshake exchange between the peer and Authenticator.
3.99 pass-phrase: A secret text string employed to corroborate the user’s identity.
3.100 per-frame encryption key: A unique encryption key constructed for each medium access control
(MAC) protocol data unit (MPDU), employed by some IEEE 802.11 security protocols.
3.101 per-frame sequence counter: For Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), the counter that is used
as the nonce in the derivation of the per-frame encryption key. For CCM [counter mode (CTR) with cipher-
block chaining (CBC) with message authentication code (MAC)] Protocol (CCMP), the per-frame initializa-
tion vector (IV).
3.102 pre-robust security network association (pre-RSNA): The type of association used by a pair of sta-
tions (STAs) if the procedure for establishing authentication or association between them did not include the
4-Way Handshake.
3.103 pre-robust security network association (pre-RSNA) equipment: A device that is not able to cre-
ate robust security network associations (RSNAs).
3.104 preshared key (PSK): A static key that is distributed to the units in the system by a method outside
the scope of this amendment, always by some out-of-band means.
3.105 pseudo-random function (PRF): A function that hashes various inputs to derive a pseudo-random
value. To add liveness to the pseudo-random value, a nonce should be one of the inputs.
3.106 robust security network (RSN): A security network that allows only the creation of robust security
network associations (RSNAs). An RSN can be identified by the indication in the RSN Information Element
(IE) of Beacon frames that the group cipher suite specified is not wired equivalent privacy (WEP).
3.107 robust security network association (RSNA): The type of association used by a pair of stations
(STAs) if the procedure to establish authentication or association between them includes the 4-Way Hand-
shake. Note that the existence of a RSNA by a pair of devices does not of itself provide robust security.
Robust security is provided when all devices in the network use RSNAs.
3.108 robust-security-network-association- (RSNA-) capable equipment: A station (STA) that is able to
create RSNAs. Such a device can use pre-RSNAs because of configuration. Notice that RSNA-capable does
not imply full compliance with the RSNA Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS). A leg-
acy device that has been upgraded to support Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) can be RSNA-
capable, but will not be compliant with the PICS if it does not also support CCM [counter mode (CTR) with
cipher-block chaining (CBC) with message authentication code (MAC)] Protocol (CCMP).
3.109 robust-security-network-association- (RSNA-) enabled equipment: A station (STA) when it is
RSNA-capable and dot11RSNAEnabled is set to TRUE.
3.110 robust security network association (RSNA) key management: Key management that includes the
4-Way Handshake, the Group Key Handshake, and the STAKey Handshake.