What is the impact of hashing on data security?

What is the impact of hashing on data security?

Hashing plays a crucial role in data security by transforming data into a fixed-size string of characters, which is unique to the original data. This makes it difficult for unauthorized users to retrieve the original data.

Can you explain how hashing protects passwords?

Certainly! When a password is hashed, it is converted into a hash value. This means that even if someone gains access to the hashed password, they cannot easily reverse it to find the original password.

Are there different hashing algorithms? Which one is the best?

Yes, there are several hashing algorithms like SHA-256, MD5, and bcrypt. Bcrypt is often recommended for password hashing due to its adaptive nature, making it more resistant to brute-force attacks.

What are the limitations of hashing?

While hashing is effective for data integrity, it is not encryption. If the hash is compromised, the original data can be vulnerable. Additionally, hashing does not protect against all types of attacks, such as rainbow table attacks.