Which security method provides the highest level of protection for a wireless network?

WPA2 is recognized as the security method that provides the highest level of protection for a wireless network. This is primarily due to its use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), a robust encryption protocol that significantly enhances the security of data transmitted over the network.

WPA2 incorporates strong encryption methods and offers improved authentication mechanisms compared to its predecessor, WPA, which itself was an improvement over WEP. While both WEP and WPA's security protocols have been shown to have vulnerabilities, WEP is particularly outdated and susceptible to various types of attacks, making it the least secure option. Open authentication does not provide any encryption or security measures at all, making it entirely unsuitable for protecting a wireless network.

WPA2's implementation of AES encryption and its use of a secure key distribution process ensure better protection from unauthorized access and eavesdropping, thereby establishing it as the recommended standard for securing wireless networks.