🧠 Introduction

Over the years, Wi-Fi security has evolved significantly to stay ahead of cyber threats. From the flawed WEP to the widely adopted WPA2 and finally to WPA3, each iteration aimed to plug vulnerabilities exposed in the previous versions. WPA3, released in 2018, was hailed as the ultimate solution to Wi-Fi security issues. Fast forward to 2025, and the question on every pentester’s mind is: Can WPA3 still be cracked?

This blog dives into the current state of WPA3, new vulnerabilities, real-world exploits, and how pentesters are targeting these networks today.

🔐 WPA3: A Quick Recap

WPA3 introduced several enhancements over WPA2:

• SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals): Replaced the traditional 4-way handshake, mitigating offline dictionary attacks.
• Forward Secrecy: Prevents the compromise of session keys even if the password is discovered later.
• Stronger Encryption: Mandatory use of 128-bit encryption for personal networks.

Despite these upgrades, the real-world adoption and implementation of WPA3 vary widely.

💥 New Vulnerabilities Discovered

While WPA3 is theoretically secure, practical implementation flaws and creative attack vectors continue to challenge its integrity:

• Dragonblood Revisited: Although patched, some routers are still vulnerable to these side-channel attacks exploiting SAE.
• Implementation Bugs: Poor code quality in Wi-Fi chipsets leads to vulnerabilities exploitable via custom packets.
• Downgrade Attacks: In transitional mode (WPA2/WPA3), attackers can force a WPA2 handshake, reverting to weaker protection.

These flaws show that while WPA3 as a protocol is secure, real-world deployments often fall short.

🛠️ Tools and Techniques in 2025

Pentesters have evolved their tools to keep up with WPA3:

• hcxdumptool: Now supports SAE handshake captures.
• hashcat: Continues to support WPA3 cracking with updated hash types.
• AI-Enhanced Wordlists: Tools now generate smarter, context-aware wordlists based on target information.

Command Example

Enable monitor mode (if not already enabled)

airmon-ng start wlan0

Use hcxdumptool to capture SAE handshakes

hcxdumptool -i wlan0mon -o handshake.pcapng –enable_status=15

Convert the capture file for hashcat

hcxpcapngtool -o hash.hc22000 -E essidlist.txt -I identitylist.txt -U usernamelist.txt handshake.pcapng

Crack the hash using hashcat

hashcat -m 22000 hash.hc22000 rockyou.txt

Other Useful Commands

Identify networks and channel info

airodump-ng wlan0mon

Deauthenticate a target to force reconnection

aireplay-ng –deauth 10 -a -c wlan0mon

Check adapter capabilities

iw list

🔬 Why WPA3 Still Fails in the Real World

• Weak Passwords: Users still rely on simple, guessable passwords.
• Misconfigured Routers: Devices often ship with outdated firmware and default credentials.
• Transitional Mode Risks: Networks using WPA2/WPA3 mode can expose WPA2 handshakes to attackers.
• Neglected Updates: Many users never update their routers, leaving known bugs exploitable.

🎯 Real Case Study

In a recent pentest engagement, a corporate Wi-Fi network configured with WPA3 was compromised using a combination of:

1. SAE Handshake Capture: Using hcxdumptool.
2. Downgrade Attack: Transition mode allowed fallback to WPA2.
3. Password Cracking: Weak credentials were cracked using targeted wordlists.

This real-world example proves that WPA3’s strength depends heavily on secure configuration and maintenance.

⛨️ Defense Recommendations

• Enforce WPA3-Only Mode: Disable transitional mode entirely.
• Strong Password Policies: Educate users and enforce minimum password complexity.
• Regular Firmware Updates: Patch vulnerabilities by keeping routers and access points updated.
• Disable WPS: This legacy feature still presents major security risks.
• Use Enterprise Mode: WPA3-Enterprise with 802.1X is far more secure than WPA3-Personal.

🚪 Conclusion

WPA3 has brought significant improvements to Wi-Fi security, but it’s not invincible. Just like its predecessors, poor implementation, weak passwords, and human error continue to expose networks to risks. As penetesters in 2025, we find that while WPA3 raises the bar, there are still cracks to exploit—if you know where to look.

Wi-Fi hacking is far from dead; it’s just evolving.