Encrypt
Generate a secure PBKDF2 hash from any plaintext for enhanced password protection.
Verify
Verify if a plaintext matches a specific PBKDF2 hash, ensuring secure login validation.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Why PBKDF2?
PBKDF2 (Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2) is a key derivation function designed to secure passwords by using a cryptographic hash, a salt, and multiple iterations. It is used to protect sensitive information like passwords and cryptographic keys by making the hash computation process slower and more resistant to brute-force attacks.
Explanation of Fields
Password
This is the input string that will be hashed. It must be provided and cannot be empty. The password is used as part of the key derivation process, and it is crucial to choose a strong password to ensure security.
Validation: The password field must be non-empty.
Salt
Salt is a random value added to the password before hashing. The purpose of salt is to prevent attackers from using precomputed tables (e.g., rainbow tables) to crack the password. Each password should have a unique salt.
Validation: Salt must be provided and should be long enough (at least 8 bytes) to provide adequate protection.
Iterations
This value controls how many times the PBKDF2 function is applied to the password. A higher number of iterations increases the computational cost and makes the hash harder to crack using brute force, but it also takes more time to compute.
Validation: Iterations must be a positive integer. The default value is 1000, but you can increase this number for greater security.
Hash
The generated hash is the final output of the PBKDF2 process. It is derived from the password, salt, and iterations. This value is used for securely storing passwords and validating users during login.
Note: The hash is encoded and displayed as a hexadecimal string.
Compare Hash
To verify a password, the provided plain text password and salt are rehashed using the same number of iterations and compared to the stored hash. If the hashes match, the password is correct.
Validation: All fields (plain text, salt, and iterations) must match the original hash parameters to successfully verify the password.
Hash Details
PBKDF2 uses a combination of salt, iteration count, and hash length to generate a strong and secure hash. It is often used in password hashing and key derivation in various security protocols and systems.