Which security protocol is often adopted to manage wireless access control?

WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) is considered the most secure and widely adopted protocol for managing wireless access control. It was developed to address the vulnerabilities found in its predecessor, WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), providing enhanced security features such as stronger encryption protocols and support for secure authentication methods. WPA2 utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which greatly improves the protection of data transmitted over the wireless network compared to WEP, which is susceptible to various types of attacks.

In the context of access control, WPA2 ensures that only authorized users can connect to the wireless network through proper authentication, thus maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the data. The protocol is integral for environments that require a robust security framework, making it the preferred choice over other options listed.

While WPA, the predecessor to WPA2, also provides a level of security, it is not as strong as WPA2, and SSL is primarily used for securing communication over the internet, rather than directly managing wireless access control.