Storing passwords securely is critical for any application handling user accounts. Plaintext storage is extremely risky and unacceptable. This article explores secure password storage in MySQL, focusing on modern best practices and highlighting the weaknesses of outdated methods.
Table of Contents:
- What is Password Hashing?
- Why Avoid MD5 and SHA1?
- MySQL’s PASSWORD() Function
- MySQL’s ENCRYPT() Function
- Modern Best Practices: Bcrypt, Argon2, and Scrypt
What is Password Hashing?
Password hashing is a one-way cryptographic function transforming a password into a fixed-size string (the hash). It’s computationally infeasible to reverse this process, meaning you can’t recover the original password from its hash. This protects passwords even if the database is compromised.
However, not all hashing algorithms are created equal. Security depends on resistance to collision attacks (different passwords producing the same hash) and brute-force attacks (trying many passwords). Outdated algorithms are vulnerable.
Why Avoid MD5 and SHA1?
MD5 and SHA1 are outdated and cryptographically broken for password storage. They’re susceptible to various attacks, making them unsuitable for securing user credentials. Never use them.
MySQL’s PASSWORD() Function
MySQL’s built-in PASSWORD() function offers slightly better security than MD5 or SHA1, but it’s still not recommended for modern applications. While it’s a step up, stronger algorithms are readily available.
Example (for illustrative purposes only; do not use in production):
INSERT INTO users (username, password) VALUES ('john_doe', PASSWORD('mysecretpassword'));
Verification (for illustrative purposes only; do not use in production):
SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'john_doe' AND PASSWORD('mysecretpassword') = password;
MySQL’s ENCRYPT() Function
MySQL’s ENCRYPT() function is also weak and should be avoided for password storage. It offers insufficient protection against modern attacks.
Modern Best Practices: Bcrypt, Argon2, and Scrypt
Use strong, modern hashing algorithms like bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt. These are designed to be computationally expensive, making brute-force attacks significantly harder. Crucially, never implement password hashing yourself. Use established libraries in your chosen programming language to avoid common mistakes and ensure proper implementation, including salting and peppering.
These libraries handle the complexities of secure password hashing, including:
- Salting: Adding a random string to the password before hashing, making it unique even if the same password is used multiple times.
- Peppering (optional): Adding a secret, server-side string, further enhancing security.
- Adaptive cost factors: Adjusting the hashing complexity based on available resources, making it harder to crack with increased computing power.
Consider using a dedicated password management system if you lack the expertise to implement secure password handling correctly.