PHP 7 Password Hashing Security Guide: How to Strengthen Password Security with password_hash

PHP 7 Password Hashing Security Guide: How to Strengthen Password Security with password_hash

Password security has always been a core issue in web application development. To protect user accounts, developers need to store passwords correctly and ensure they are not exposed or cracked. PHP 7 offers the powerful password_hash function, which simplifies and strengthens the password storage and protection process. This article will guide you on how to use password_hash to generate password hashes and introduce some best practices.

What is Password Hashing?

Password hashing is a technique where the original password is mathematically processed to generate a string of seemingly random characters, which is then stored as the password. This means that even if the password hash in the database is leaked, attackers cannot easily retrieve the original password. During user login, the system compares the input password with the stored hash to verify the user's identity, without the need to store plain text passwords.

How to Generate Password Hash Using password_hash?

The password_hash function is simple to use. It takes two parameters: the raw password to be hashed and the algorithm to be used for hashing. Below is an example:

$rawPassword = "myPassword";
$options = ['cost' => 12];
$hashedPassword = password_hash($rawPassword, PASSWORD_DEFAULT, $options);

In the example above, we are using the default password algorithm and setting the cost parameter. The cost represents the number of iterations required to compute the hash, and the higher the number, the longer it takes to compute the hash, making it more difficult for attackers to crack the password. Typically, a cost setting between 10 and 12 is a good choice.

How to Verify Password Hash?

Once the password hash is generated, you can use the password_verify function to check if the password entered by the user matches the stored hash. Here is a simple example:

$rawPassword = "myPassword";
$hashedPassword = "<hashed value fetched from database>";

if (password_verify($rawPassword, $hashedPassword)) {
    echo "Password is correct";
} else {
    echo "Password is incorrect";
}

In the code above, we compare the password entered by the user with the hash stored in the database. If the two match, it means the password is correct.

Best Practices for Password Storage Security

In addition to using the password_hash and password_verify functions, here are a few other best practices to further enhance password storage security:

• Use HTTPS: Ensure passwords are encrypted during transmission by using HTTPS.
• Avoid implementing your own password hashing algorithm: It is best to use well-tested and reviewed algorithms, such as the default algorithm provided by password_hash.
• Never store plain-text passwords: Never store plain-text passwords, even during development or testing stages. Always use hashes for storage.
• Encourage regular password changes: Recommend that users change their passwords periodically to reduce the risk of long-term exposure in case of a breach.

Conclusion

In PHP 7, the password_hash function makes it easy to generate secure password hashes, and the password_verify function allows you to verify the correctness of passwords. Correctly storing and verifying passwords is crucial for the security of your application. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can enhance the security of user accounts and reduce the risk of passwords being cracked.