Hashes
Explore how hash functions work and their role in securely storing passwords. Understand one-way hashing, the importance of random salts, and common attacks such as lookup tables, rainbow tables, and collision vulnerabilities to better protect Node.js applications.
We'll cover the following...
What is a hash?
First, we need to cover the basics. Hashing is not encryption. A hashing function calculates a fixed-size string from an input. Passwords should be one-way hashed. This means they are impossible to decrypt, making them “one-way.” There is never a need to display a password back to a user or admin. Once a password is entered, it becomes a hash that can be recreated only when the original password is given as input.
Popular attacks
Before discussing any further, let’s delve into popular attacks against hashing algorithms.
Lookup tables
A lookup table is a table of hashes where the ...