Chapter 1. Instant Java Password and Authentication Security
Welcome to Instant Java Password and Authentication Security. In this book you will learn how to create strong and secure hashes to protect sensitive passwords and keys.
As an introduction, we will learn the basics of hashing using MD5 hashes to get familiarized with the concept.
Later, we will check out the Secure Hash Algorithm, which is a family of standard cryptographic hash functions. After learning the basics, we will see how to protect our hashes against certain types of attacks by salting them—a useful technique.
Of course, malicious hackers are always developing new techniques and technology evolves every day, and to keep up with this, we will learn how to use a very secure technique that allows us to strengthen our hashes over time.