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Password Hashing in Node.js – Argon2,Bcrypt,Scrypt,PKKDF2

Password hashing is a fundamental practice in the realm of information security, especially when dealing with user authentication and credential storage. The main goal is to protect sensitive information, such as user passwords, by transforming them into a format resistant to reverse engineering. This transformation is accomplished through the utilization of a one-way hashing function.

Password Hashing

 

Working with Argon2

Argon2 stands out as a cutting-edge hashing algorithm meticulously crafted for ensuring secure password hashing. In 2015, it earned the title of the winner in the Password Hashing Competition (PHC), a competition with the overarching goal of pinpointing a hashing algorithm capable of delivering resilient protection against diverse cryptographic threats. These threats encompass brute-force attacks, side-channel attacks, and GPU-based attacks.

Install argon2:

npm i argon2

Hashing method:

function hashPasswordWithArgon2(password) {
    const argon2 = require('argon2');
    argon2.hash(password)
        .then((hash) => {
            console.log("Argon2 Hash:", hash);
        })
        .catch((err) => {
            console.error(err);
        });
}
hashPasswordWithArgon2('yourPassword123');

Implementing Bcrypt

Bcrypt, an extensively embraced and secure password hashing algorithm, is strategically engineered to fortify user credentials by making brute-force or rainbow table attacks arduous and time-intensive for potential attackers.

Install bcrypt:

npm i bcrypt

Implement hashing with Bcrypt:

const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
const saltRounds = 10;

function hashPasswordWithBcrypt(password) {
    bcrypt.genSalt(saltRounds, function(err, salt) {
        bcrypt.hash(password, salt, function(err, hash) {
            console.log("Bcrypt Hash:", hash);
        });
    });
}

hashPasswordWithBcrypt('yourPassword123');







Understanding Scrypt














Scrypt, designed as a password-based key derivation function (PBKDF), is deliberately formulated to impose significant computational complexity and memory intensity. Its primary objective is to increase the challenges and resource requirements for potential brute-force attacks and hardware-based exploits, including ASIC or GPU attacks. To illustrate the process of hashing a password with Scrypt, consider the following example:














const crypto = require('crypto');

function hashPasswordWithScrypt(password, callback) {
    // Provide a salt directly or generate one, for example:
    const salt = crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('hex');
    crypto.scrypt(password, salt, 64, (err, derivedKey) => {
        if (err) throw err;
        callback(salt + ":" + derivedKey.toString('hex'));
    });
}

hashPasswordWithScrypt('yourPassword123', (hash) => {
    console.log("Scrypt Hash:", hash);
});









Using PBKDF2








PBKDF2, which stands for Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2, operates by utilizing a pseudorandom function to derive cryptographic keys from a password. Engineered with computational intensity and deliberate slowness, its design aims to create resistance against brute-force attacks.








Hashing method:


function hashPasswordWithPBKDF2(password) {
    const salt = crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('hex');
    crypto.pbkdf2(password, salt, 1000, 64, 'sha512', (err, derivedKey) => {
        if (err) throw err;
        console.log("PBKDF2 Hash:", salt + ":" + derivedKey.toString('hex'));
    });
}

hashPasswordWithPBKDF2('yourPassword123');









Conclusive Summary


In conclusion, secure password hashing is essential to protect user data. Argon2, Bcrypt, Scrypt, and PBKDF2 are all robust algorithms that offer various levels of security and computational requirements.






References






			


			
		


		
	


	


	

		

			
ByRavishanker Kusuma
			

				

					Updated on