Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

What is a key feature of a Key Reinstallation Attack in the context of WPA2 security?

1. Interception of public Wi-Fi traffic

2. Forcing Nonce reuse during the handshake

3. Decrypting WEP packets

4. Overwriting device memory

The correct answer is: Forcing Nonce reuse during the handshake

A Key Reinstallation Attack (KRACK) exploits a specific vulnerability in the WPA2 protocol by forcing nonce (number used once) reuse during the four-way handshake process, which is crucial for establishing a secure connection between a client and a router. In the WPA2 authentication process, a nonce is generated to ensure that each session key is unique. However, if an attacker can manipulate the handshake process, they can cause the nonce to be reused. This means that the session key will be re-initialized, allowing the attacker to replay packets, decrypt data, or even inject malicious data into the communication stream. The other options do not accurately encapsulate the primary characteristic of the KRACK vulnerability. The interception of public Wi-Fi traffic pertains to a more general concept of network vulnerabilities rather than KRACK specifically. Decrypting WEP packets relates to an older, less secure encryption standard that is not directly tied to the WPA2 protocol. Overwriting device memory is not a defined aspect of KRACK, as the attack focuses more on session key management than on physical device memory manipulation. Thus, the correct focus on nonce reuse during the handshake highlights the critical mechanism by which KRACK operates within WPA2 security.