How to install bcrypt using npm?
In the world of web development, security is paramount, especially when handling user passwords. One of the most widely used libraries for password hashing in Node.js applications is bcrypt. This article will guide you through the process of installing bcrypt Using npm, demonstrate how to use it for secure password hashing and comparison.
What is bcrypt?
bcrypt It is a password-hashing function designed by Niels Provos and David Mazières, based on the Blowfish cipher. It is intended to be computationally intensive, making it more resistant to brute-force attacks. By using a salt (random data) and multiple iterations of hashing, bcrypt ensures that the hashed passwords are unique and secure.
Steps to install bcrypt using npm
Create a Node Project
Initially set up a Nodejs Project using the following command.
npm init
or
npm init -y
- npm init command asks some setup questions which are important for the project.After answering the questions project is initialized.
- npm init –y command is used to set all the answers of the setup questions as yes and the project is initialized .
Install bcrypt package
npm install bcrypt
Bcrypt latest version gets installed for the project.We can check the version of the package in the package json file which contains necessary information about the project .
Verify the installation
Once the package is installed we can verify it using the following command
bcrypt --version
Hashing a Password
To hash a password using bcrypt, you’ll use the ” bcrypt.hash() “ function.
const bcrypt = require("bcrypt");
const plainPassword = "gfgPassword"; //random text
const saltRounds = 10;
bcrypt.hash(plainPassword, saltRounds, function (err, hashedpassword) {
if (err) {
console.error(err);
return;
}
console.log(hashedpassword);
});
Output
Hash Password
- Initally we import the bcrypt module using the require(‘bcrypt’) comand.
- saltRounds is the number of salt rounds to use. The higher the number of salt rounds, the more computationally intensive the hashing process becomes.
- We use hash function to generated the hashcode from the provide plain-text password and the salt.
Comparing Password
In this step we compare the hashed password with the plain-text password .
const bcrypt = require("bcrypt");
const plainPassword = "gfgPassword"; //random text
const saltRounds = 10;
bcrypt.hash(plainPassword, saltRounds, function (err, hashedpassword) {
if (err) {
console.error(err);
return;
}
console.log("hashedpassword: ", hashedpassword);
bcrypt.compare(plainPassword, hashedpassword, function (err, result) {
if (result) console.log("Comparion Result : " + result);
else console.log("error " + err);
});
});
Output:
Compare Password
- Compare function is used to compare the plainPassword with the hashedpassword.It also contains the callback function which is used to handle the error if passwords are different.
Error Handling
The tasks of the Error Handling process are to detect each error, report it to the user, and then make some recovery strategy and implement them to handle the error. During this whole process processing time of the program should not be slow.
Functions of Error Handler:
- Error Detection: We use try catch block or callback function with if-else block to detect the error.
- Error Report: Errors are reported to the user through the console.
- Error Recovery: In this step we take actions to recover from the error .
Why do we use bcrypt for password hashing?
The reasons why bcrypt is the preferred choice for password hashing are following:
Slow runtime:
The slow working of the Bcrypt algorithm makes it difficult for hackers to break password hashes because it takes time to generate hashes and decode them. Security software or a user can detect unusual activity and stop hackers from accessing sensitive data because it takes longer for a threat actor to act.
Usage of salt:
Rainbow table-resistant password hashes can be produced by adding a random piece of data and hashing it with the password. Password salting ensures the highest security requirements for password storage.
Adapts to changes
Bcrypt is a flexible tool that can change to accommodate optimized hardware and software. The hashing password’s speed of calculation determines its level of security. As computers get more powerful, hackers can hash passwords more quickly. Bcrypt, on the other hand, employs a variable number of password iterations, which can greatly raise computational costs. Therefore, as computers get faster, bcrypt slows down the hashing process, halting threat actors in the same way that slower, outdated methods would.
Conclusion
Using bcrypt for password hashing is a robust way to enhance the security of your Node.js applications. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can install bcrypt using npm and implement secure password hashing and comparison in your projects. Remember, always handle passwords securely and never store plain-text passwords in your database.