A method of authenticating an access point AP, a system, and an associated apparatus, enhancing security of a terminal accessing an AP in a WLAN. The method comprises: a terminal determines, according to a characteristic generation rule corresponding to an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), an AP characteristic; the terminal transmits to the AP a request message requesting the AP characteristic, and acquires a response message responded by the AP according to the request message; and the terminal determines, according to the response message and the determined AP characteristic, whether the AP passes authentication.