What is hashing and how is it used in practice?

What is hashing and how is it used in practice?

Hashing is a process that transforms input data into a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a hash code. It's widely used in data integrity verification, password storage, and digital signatures.

Can you give me an example of how hashing is used in password storage?

Sure! When a user creates a password, the system hashes it before storing it in the database. When the user logs in, the system hashes the entered password and compares it to the stored hash. This way, the actual password is never stored.

What hashing algorithms are commonly used?

Common hashing algorithms include SHA-256, SHA-1, and MD5. SHA-256 is widely used for its security and is part of the SHA-2 family.

Are there any vulnerabilities associated with hashing?

Yes, some hashing algorithms like MD5 and SHA-1 are considered weak due to vulnerabilities that allow for collision attacks. It's recommended to use stronger algorithms like SHA-256 or bcrypt.