Definition:

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol for wireless networks. It was introduced as part of the original 802.11 wireless protocol in 1997 and intended to match the security level of wired networks.

We know today that WEP is not a very secure protocol, easily cracked by software within minutes. It has since been replaced by stronger wireless encryption protocols, WPA and WPA2.

Unfortunately, WEP is still being used on some wireless networks, likely creating a false sense of security.