Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have become integral to mod-ern communication infrastructure, providing unparalleled mobility andconvenience. However, their pervasiveness has made them attractive tar-gets for malicious entities. This article offers a comprehensive review ofthe evolving landscape of security vulnerabilities within WLANs, exam-ining both the traditional and emerging attack vectors. Specifically, wediscuss the exploitation of the IEEE 802.11 protocol and its derivations,highlighting common threats such as Denial of Service (DoS), Man-in-the-Middle (MitM), and rogue access points. Additionally, we address novelattack trends, including side-channel attacks and vulnerabilities arisingfrom the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices in WLANenvironments. Furthermore, this review delves into state-of-the-art defen-sive mechanisms, encompassing advancements in encryption, authentica-tion protocols, anomaly-based intrusion detection systems, and machinelearning approaches designed to fortify WLAN architectures against so-phisticated attacks. By identifying key research gaps and proposing futuredirections, this article aims to aid researchers and practitioners in devel-oping robust WLAN security paradigms