Password Hash Generator
Generate secure password hashes for safe credential storage with our free online tool. Learn proper password hashing techniques using algorithms designed specifically for protecting user credentials.
Why Hash Passwords?
Plain text passwords are a catastrophic security vulnerability. When databases are breached (which happens regularly), hashed passwords protect users even if attackers obtain the entire database. Proper password hashing makes cracking infeasible.
Password Hashing Algorithms Comparison
| Algorithm | Introduced | Type | Security | Speed | Recommendation | Argon2id2015Memory-hardExcellentConfigurableBest choice bcrypt1999CPU-hardStrongSlowGood alternative scrypt2009Memory-hardStrongConfigurableGood for GPU resistance PBKDF22000Iteration-basedModerateConfigurableNIST approved SHA-2562001Fast hashWeak for passwordsVery fastNever use alone MD51992Fast hashBrokenExtremely fastNever use
Password Storage Requirements
FeaturePurposeImplementation SaltingPrevents rainbow tablesUnique random salt per password Work FactorSlows brute forceAdjust iterations/memory Constant TimePrevents timing attacksUse secure comparison | Pepper | Defense in depth | Application-level secret |
JavaScript Password Hashing
``javascript
// Using bcrypt (Node.js) - Recommended
const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
async function hashPassword(password) {
const saltRounds = 12; // Adjust based on server capabilities
const hash = await bcrypt.hash(password, saltRounds);
return hash;
}
async function verifyPassword(password, hash) {
return await bcrypt.compare(password, hash);
}
// Using Argon2 (best security)
const argon2 = require('argon2');
async function hashWithArgon2(password) {
const hash = await argon2.hash(password, {
type: argon2.argon2id,
memoryCost: 65536, // 64 MB
timeCost: 3, // 3 iterations
parallelism: 4 // 4 threads
});
return hash;
}
async function verifyArgon2(password, hash) {
return await argon2.verify(hash, password);
}
// Browser-based (Web Crypto with PBKDF2)
async function deriveKeyFromPassword(password, salt) {
const encoder = new TextEncoder();
const keyMaterial = await crypto.subtle.importKey(
'raw',
encoder.encode(password),
'PBKDF2',
false,
['deriveBits']
);
const derivedBits = await crypto.subtle.deriveBits(
{
name: 'PBKDF2',
salt: salt,
iterations: 310000, // OWASP 2023 recommendation
hash: 'SHA-256'
},
keyMaterial,
256
);
return Array.from(new Uint8Array(derivedBits))
.map(b => b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0'))
.join('');
}
``
Work Factor Guidelines (2024)
| Algorithm | Minimum | Recommended | High Security | bcrypt10 rounds12 rounds14+ rounds Argon2id64 MB / 3 iter64 MB / 4 iter256 MB / 4 iter scryptN=2^14N=2^15N=2^17 PBKDF2-SHA256210,000 iter310,000 iter600,000 iter
Common Password Hashing Mistakes
MistakeWhy It's DangerousCorrect Approach Using MD5/SHAToo fast to crackUse bcrypt/Argon2 No saltRainbow table attacksAlways use unique salt Shared saltEasier batch crackingGenerate random salt per user Low work factorFaster brute forceBenchmark and maximize | Double hashing | No security benefit | Use proper algorithm |
Password Hashing Best Practices
Choose Argon2id as your first choice (winner of Password Hashing Competition). Use bcrypt if Argon2 is unavailable. Set work factors to take 250-500ms on your production hardware. Increase work factors every 2-3 years. Never implement your own password hashing—use established libraries.