WPS: The WiFi Alliance had created a computing standard - WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) - to simplify the setup and securing process of a WiFi home network. This standard has been quite useful for the less technical WiFi network owner who does not need to worry about what security protocol to be used or what encryption standard to be used for their home network.
The WPS enabled routers complete the setup task by just push of a button. But, now with the identification of the vulnerability in the design of WPS, an WPS enabled WiFi network can easily be penetrated in just couple of hours.
Apparently, most WiFi routers not only offer WPS, but have it enabled by default, and unfortunately some WiFi routers settings have option to disable WPS but that does not actually do anything.
At present there is no permanent solution available to this problem, but it has been recommended to disable WPS on WiFi routers.
So guys.. just wake-up and disable it. And also change the WiFi security key, you may never know that your WiFi network has already been penetrated with the help of this vulnerability.
The process of disabling WPS on some of the routers is described in below links:
Belkin
D-Link
Linksys
Netgear
The vendor of the routers should provide the firmware upgrades fix this vulnerability.
Keeping in mind that WPS has actually been developed for less technical users, in near future it would be a challenge to make these WPS users aware of this vulnerability so that they could take the necessary steps to protect themselves from this vulnerability.
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