Realizing the sticking point that security has been in the widespread adoption of broadband wireless service, the IEEE and the Forum both determined to define a robust security environment. WiMAX security supports two quality encryptions standards, that of the DES3 and AES, which is considered leading edge. The standard defines a dedicated security processor on board the base station for starters. There are also minimum encryption requirements for the traffic and for end to end authentication---the latter of which is adapted from the data-over-cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) BPI+ security protocol.

Basically, all traffic on a WiMAX network must be encrypted using Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) which uses AES for transmission security and data integrity authentication.

The end-to-end authentication the PKM-EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) methodology is used which relies on the TLS standard of public key encryption.

At least one chip company designed processors to support this standard of onboard security processor.