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PHP Basics

Introduction to PHPInstalling PHPPHP SyntaxPHP CommentsPHP VariablesPHP Echo / PrintPHP Data TypesPHP StringsPHP NumbersPHP ConstantsPHP OperatorsPHP If...Else...ElseifPHP SwitchPHP LoopsPHP FunctionsPHP ArraysPHP Superglobals

PHP Forms

PHP Form HandlingPHP Form ValidationPHP Form RequiredPHP Form URL/E-mailPHP Form Complete

PHP Advanced

PHP Date and TimePHP IncludePHP File HandlingPHP File Open/ReadPHP File Create/WritePHP File UploadPHP CookiesPHP SessionsPHP FiltersPHP Filters AdvancedPHP Callback FunctionsPHP JSONPHP Exceptions

PHP OOP

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PHP Database

PHP MySQL DatabasePHP Connect to MySQLPHP Create MySQL DatabasePHP Create MySQL TablePHP Insert MySQL DataPHP Get Last Inserted IDPHP Insert Multiple RecordsPHP Prepared StatementsPHP Select MySQL DataPHP Delete MySQL DataPHP Update MySQL DataPHP Limit MySQL Data

PHP XML

PHP XML ParsersPHP SimpleXML ParserPHP SimpleXML - GetPHP XML ExpatPHP XML DOM

PHP Security

PHP SecurityPHP Password HashingPHP E-mail InjectionPHP Cross Site Scripting (XSS)

PHP Best Practices

PHP Coding StandardsPHP Error HandlingPHP Performance OptimizationPHP Debugging TechniquesPHP Unit Testing

PHP and Web Services

PHP AJAX IntroductionPHP AJAX PHPPHP AJAX DatabasePHP AJAX XMLPHP AJAX Live SearchPHP AJAX Poll

PHP Extensions

PHP cURLPHP GDPHP XML-RPCPHP Multibyte String

PHP Password Hashing

Password hashing is a crucial security measure in PHP applications. It protects user credentials by converting passwords into irreversible, fixed-length strings. This process enhances data security and safeguards against unauthorized access.

Why Use Password Hashing?

Storing plain-text passwords is a significant security risk. Hashing provides several benefits:

  • One-way conversion: Hashed passwords can't be reversed to reveal the original password
  • Fixed output length: Regardless of input size, the hash remains consistent in length
  • Unique outputs: Even slight changes in input produce entirely different hashes

PHP's Password Hashing Functions

PHP offers built-in functions for secure password hashing:

1. password_hash()

This function creates a secure hash of a password:

$password = "user_password";
$hashed_password = password_hash($password, PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

The PASSWORD_DEFAULT algorithm is recommended as it automatically uses the strongest available method.

2. password_verify()

Use this function to verify a password against a hash:

$user_input = "user_password";
if (password_verify($user_input, $hashed_password)) {
    echo "Password is valid!";
} else {
    echo "Invalid password.";
}

Best Practices

  • Always use PHP's built-in functions instead of creating custom hashing algorithms
  • Implement PHP Form Validation to ensure password strength
  • Use PHP Prepared Statements when storing or retrieving hashed passwords from databases
  • Regularly update your PHP version to benefit from the latest security improvements

Security Considerations

While password hashing significantly improves security, it's part of a broader PHP Security strategy. Consider these additional measures:

  • Implement multi-factor authentication for enhanced account protection
  • Use HTTPS to encrypt data transmission, including login credentials
  • Employ rate limiting to prevent brute-force attacks

Conclusion

Password hashing is an essential aspect of secure PHP development. By implementing these techniques and following best practices, you can significantly enhance the security of your applications and protect user data from potential breaches.