Hashing Questions Medium
Hashing is commonly used in password storage to enhance security and protect user passwords. When a user creates a password, it is not stored in its original form but instead undergoes a one-way hashing process.
In this process, the password is transformed into a fixed-length string of characters using a cryptographic hash function. The resulting hash value is unique to the input password, meaning even a small change in the password will produce a completely different hash value.
The hash value is then stored in the database instead of the actual password. When a user attempts to log in, the entered password is hashed using the same algorithm, and the resulting hash value is compared with the stored hash value. If they match, the user is granted access; otherwise, the login attempt is denied.
This approach provides several benefits. Firstly, it ensures that the original password cannot be easily determined from the stored hash value, even if the database is compromised. Secondly, it allows for quick and efficient password verification since only the hash values need to be compared. Lastly, it prevents the reuse of passwords across different systems, as the hash values will be different for the same password on different platforms.
To further enhance security, additional measures such as salting can be employed. Salting involves adding a random value (salt) to the password before hashing, making it even more difficult for attackers to crack passwords using precomputed tables or rainbow tables.
Overall, hashing in password storage provides a robust and secure method of protecting user passwords, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and ensuring the confidentiality of user data.