In the realm of software security, Bcrypt stands as an algorithmic function, predominantly used in creating password hashes. It holds superiority over several other hashing algorithms due to its unique approach, where it allows you to pass a cost parameter that consequently impacts and adjusts the hashing and verification time. This particular quality can prove exceptionally beneficial if your server is powerful and robust, permitting you to establish a high number of passes to extend the time taken for these operations. During an unfortunate event of a brute force attack, your server will be empowered with restrictions, leading to a significant reduction in the number of hash or password verifications it can perform per second.
Imagine, in the vast cosmic universe of code, you are the astronaut navigating through countless galaxies representing different PHP commands and libraries. Among these infinite galaxies, Bcrypt is the shining star you are looking for, capable of providing that extra layer of security you need for your applications.
Diving deeper into PHP and Bcrypt
Primarily, to harness the power of Bcrypt hashes, developers can go with language-specific methods. For PHP developers, PHP provides the built-in password_hash function which can make this task a breeze. Here’s how you can use it:
password_hash('azerty', PASSWORD_BCRYPT, ['cost' => 14]);
For beginners, the cost parameter is a crucial concept to understand. As we mentioned before, the cost parameter allows us to set a hashing time and verification time. In simple terms, the higher the cost, the stronger the hash, and therefore, the longer the time required to verify passwords and generate hashes.
Exploring Third-Party Libraries and the Command Line Approach
Another ally in your quest to generate Bcrypt hashes can be third-party libraries that can be utilized via the command-line interface. For instance, PHP developers can utilize libraries such as laminas/laminas-crypt which simplifies the process notably.
Before we move onto the actual command, let’s see how we can install the mentioned library using Composer, a PHP package manager. If you haven’t already downloaded Composer, you can get it from their official site. Once you have Composer ready, you can install the package by using the following command:
composer require laminas/laminas-crypt
After successful installation, you can now use the Bcrypt in your code as follow:
use Laminas\Crypt\Password\Bcrypt;
$password = 'Azerty123';
/**
* Hash the password
*/
$bcrypt = new Bcrypt();
$passwordHash = $bcrypt->create($password);
/**
* Verify the password
*/
$result = $bcrypt->verify($password, $passwordHash);
Digging Into Command-Line Code Example: Shell Scripting
Apart from PHP, there are also ways to generate the hash via shell scripting. Here is an example of a shell script which uses php in command line to generate a Bcrypt hash
# using php
php -r "echo password_hash('Azerty123', PASSWORD_BCRYPT, ['cost' =>14]);"
$2y$14$6iyOaWgkuiPulkW.CugqPO9zXWKPMuLmkxWPQyafwPK4PCTbSHJLK
# using laminas/laminas-crypt
$ ./vendor/bin/bcrypt Azerty123 14
$2y$14$lMXT/0K9zLDQU6J1ttnLHutF37BGrbljFSe0sgX5lV8uRs.0obatG
Wrapping Up
Undoubtedly, Bcrypt hashing stands as a powerful instrument to enhance your software security. By acquiring the knowledge and skills to use these generation methods, developers can solidify the password security of their applications by adding a high level of complexity, incredibly challenging for attackers to breach.
Book a Free PHP Consultation Now
If you find yourself intrigued by the world of Bcrypt, password hashing, and PHP, don’t hesitate to book a free consultation with me. I would love to have an enlightening discussion about your project and other related aspects of software development.
