How Can I Securely Hash Passwords Step-by-Step?

Securing Passwords with Hashing: A Practical Guide

Storing passwords directly is a major security risk. The recommended approach is password hashing, a one-way encryption process. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Generate a Unique Salt:

Employ a secure random number generator to create a cryptographic salt for each password. This salt adds a layer of security, ensuring each password hash is unique.

2. Utilize a Strong Hashing Algorithm:

PBKDF2 (Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2) is a highly recommended algorithm for password hashing. Use an appropriate library or function to generate the hash.

3. Concatenate Salt and Hash:

Combine the generated salt and the resulting hash into a single data structure (e.g., an array or a string with a clear delimiter). This combined value will be stored.

4. Base64 Encoding for Storage:

Encode the combined salt and hash using Base64 encoding for efficient and safe storage within your database.

5. Password Verification Process:

When a user attempts to log in: Retrieve the Base64 encoded salt hash string. Decode it, separate the salt and hash. Then, using the same hashing algorithm and salt, generate a new hash from the user's input.

6. Hash Comparison:

Compare the newly generated hash with the stored hash. A match confirms a correct password; a mismatch indicates an incorrect password.

It's crucial to select a sufficient number of iterations for the hashing algorithm. Higher iteration counts increase security but might slightly decrease performance. A minimum of 10,000 iterations is a good starting point.

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