Is Storing Random Salts a Security Risk When Using SHA512(password.salt)?

Improve Password Hashing with a Random Salt: Addressing Security Concerns

While it's clear that using a simple MD5 hash for user passwords is insecure, the use of SHA512(password.salt) with a random salt may raise questions about security. This article delves into the concerns you've raised regarding the storage of random salts and the potential drawbacks.

The Role of Salt

Salt is crucial in securing password hashes by adding entropy to the hash, making it significantly more difficult for attackers to brute-force. However, it's important to note that an attacker who gains access to user passwords and hashes will likely also have access to the corresponding salts.

Addressing the Concern

Although the salt is available to an attacker, the security remains intact. This is because the attacker still needs to know the password to calculate the hash. The salt serves as a unique and unpredictable element that ensures that the same password will generate different hashes even when hashed multiple times. This makes pre-computed rainbow tables, which are used by attackers to quickly crack common passwords, ineffective.

Additional Security Measures

To further strengthen password hashing, it's recommended to:

• Iterate the Hashing
  Calculate the hash multiple times (e.g., hashing the hash) to increase the computational effort for brute-force attacks.
• Use a Standard Hashing Algorithm
  Employ industry-proven hashing algorithms such as PBKDF2, which provides additional security measures built into the hashing process.

Conclusion

Despite potential concerns, using a random salt is an essential security practice for password hashing. By understanding the role of salt and implementing additional measures, you can significantly enhance the protection of user passwords.

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