Secure Password Storage for Hosting Environments

In today’s interconnected world, security is paramount, especially for hosting environments where virtual servers manage sensitive data. Securely storing passwords in a database is a critical step to protect against unauthorized access and maintain trust. This guide outlines practical tips for securely storing passwords, ensuring your hosting infrastructure remains robust and resilient against cyber threats.

Password hashing

Never store passwords in plain form. What does it mean? For example, simply your password TestingExample!@#$%%@$ will be saved in text form. Instead, use cryptographic hash functions to create password hashes. A hash is an untranslatable string of characters, and recovering the original password from a hash is difficult.

Salt

This means “random value”. How to describe it? Use unique salts for each user before hashing the password. This is a kind of random string added to the password before hashing, which makes dictionary brute force attacks more difficult.

Using Cryptographic Hash Algorithms

Use secure cryptographic hash algorithms such as bcrypt, Argon2 or scrypt. They are designed to provide security when hashing passwords.

Iteration Parameters

Set a sufficient number of iterations for the hashing function. This will make brute force attacks more difficult even if attackers gain access to the hashes.

Non-use of Obsolete Methods

Avoid outdated and less secure hashing methods such as MD5 or SHA-1.

Additional Data Storage

In addition to the hash and salt, store additional metadata in the database, such as the hashing algorithm and iteration parameters. This will help ensure compatibility with security updates.

Prohibition of Directly Related Passwords

Do not allow simple or directly ID-related passwords (such as “password123” or “user123”).

Conclusion

Secure password storage is a cornerstone of hosting security, protecting your servers and user data from breaches. By implementing hashing, unique salts, secure algorithms like bcrypt, and strong password policies, you can fortify your hosting environment. With AvaHost’s secure infrastructure and these practices, you ensure a resilient, trustworthy platform for your digital assets.