BCRYPT

What is Bcrypt?

Bcrypt is a password hashing function based on the Blowfish cipher, introduced in 1999 by Niels Provos and David Mazières. Unlike simple hashing algorithms like MD5 or SHA-1, bcrypt is designed to be slow and computationally expensive, making it highly resistant to brute-force and rainbow table attacks.

Key Features of Bcrypt

• Adaptive Work Factor: Bcrypt includes a cost factor (work factor), which determines the computational effort needed to hash a password. This can be adjusted as computing power increases.
• Built-in Salt: Each bcrypt hash includes a unique salt, preventing attackers from using precomputed hash databases (rainbow tables).
• Secure Hashing Process: Bcrypt repeatedly hashes passwords through multiple iterations (determined by the cost factor), making it difficult for attackers to compute the original password.

How Bcrypt Works

• A random salt is generated.
• The password is combined with the salt and processed using the Blowfish-based key derivation function.
• The algorithm iterates over the hash multiple times based on the cost factor.
• The final hashed password is stored in a format that includes the cost, salt, and hash.

Why Use Bcrypt?

• Prevents brute-force attacks due to its slow computation time.
• Protects against rainbow table attacks with its unique salting mechanism.
• Scales with hardware advancements by adjusting the cost factor.
• Widely adopted and recommended for secure password storage.

Conclusion

Bcrypt remains one of the most secure password hashing algorithms available. By incorporating salting, adaptive cost factors, and a strong hashing mechanism, it significantly enhances password security and protects against various attacks. Developers should always use bcrypt or similar algorithms (such as Argon2 or PBKDF2) to store passwords securely in their applications.