How Can We Securely Store Passwords in Databases?

Assessing the Security of Password Storage in Databases

Storing sensitive information like usernames and passwords in databases raises security concerns. The provided code snippet utilizes parameters to prevent SQL injection attacks but fails to address the fundamental issue of password security.

The Importance of Hashing with Salt

To store passwords securely, it's crucial to hash them with salt. Hashing transforms passwords into a one-way encrypted format, making them difficult to decrypt even if accessed by unauthorized individuals. By using a unique salt for each user, the process is further strengthened, protecting against rainbow table attacks that attempt to match hashed passwords with known values.

Steps for Securely Storing Passwords:

1. Hash the Passwords with Salt: Utilize a hashing algorithm, such as SHA256 or SHA512, combined with a randomly generated salt.
2. Store the Salt: Alongside the hashed password, store the corresponding salt in the database.
3. Compare Login Attempts: When a user attempts to log in, hash the provided password with the salt stored in the database. If the resulting hash matches the stored hash, the login is successful.

Creating Salt and Hashing Passwords:

Dim password = "mypassword"
Dim salt = CreateNewSalt(32)

Dim hashedPassword = GetSaltedHash(password, salt)

Comparing Login Attempts:

Dim attemptedPassword = "mypassword"
Dim storedHashedPassword = "... (from the database)"
Dim storedSalt = "... (from the database)"

Dim attemptedHashedPassword = GetSaltedHash(attemptedPassword, storedSalt)

If attemptedHashedPassword = storedHashedPassword Then
    ... (User successfully logged in)
End If

By following these steps:

• Passwords are protected from unauthorized access.
• User passwords are not vulnerable to SQL injection attacks.
• The use of salt prevents rainbow table attacks.
• You can increase the complexity of cracking passwords by performing multiple hashing iterations.

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