Simple Introduction to WEP encryption

WEP( wired equivalent privacy) is a security algorithm for 802.11 wireless networks. It was widely used but now it is replaced by some innovative method such as WPA or WPA2 because it has been proved that WEP has some drawbacks and it is easily and instantly broken. The following Figure would show its configuration and the process of encryption and decryption:

Obviously, WEP compromised of IV (Initial Vector) and key.

           WEP use stream cipher RC4 to encrypt the code.

           XOR gates are both used in encryption and decryption.
Nowadays, WEP is still used but it could disappear someday because its security is not completely guaranteed.