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The mode of operation that utilizes password-based authentication through the Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) protocol is WPA3-Personal. SAE is designed to improve the security of the authentication process, specifically in scenarios where users are using passwords to connect to a Wi-Fi network. It addresses vulnerabilities present in previous protocols such as Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) and the standard Pre-Shared Key (PSK) authentication used in WPA and WPA2.

WPA3-Personal enhances the security of user credentials by employing a technique that allows for mutual authentication between the client and access point while preventing offline dictionary attacks. This means that if an attacker captures the handshake, they cannot easily guess the password through brute force methods as they could with older protocols.

In contrast, WPA-Personal and WPA2-Enterprise do not employ SAE. WPA-Personal relies on a shared password but uses less secure methods for handling the authentication process. WPA2-Enterprise uses more robust measures suited for corporate or institutional environments, typically involving a dedicated authentication server and RADIUS, rather than a password-based system. WEP, on the other hand, is outdated and known to be insecure, lacking the necessary protocols for secure password authentication.