4. Key management and security associations

802.11i defines the set of protocols used to establish cryptographic keys and security associations between different devices in the wireless network architecture (STA, AP, AS). The aim is to secure data exchanges between these devices, and to maintain the security level of these exchanges over time. The security features introduced by 802.11i compared with the original WEP solution are often referred to as RSN or RSNA.

This section first describes the main principles of key management and security associations in 802.11i networks, then explains how to manage each type of STA-AP and STA-STA connection, as well as group keys.