Python Password Hashing with hashlib

In this tutorial, we'll explore how to securely hash passwords in Python using the hashlib library. Password hashing is a crucial step in ensuring the security of user accounts by protecting sensitive information. We'll cover the basics of password hashing, its importance, and provide a step-by-step guide with code examples.
Storing passwords in plaintext is a significant security risk. In the event of a data breach, attackers can easily access and misuse user credentials. Password hashing is the process of converting a password into a fixed-length string of characters, which is computationally difficult to reverse. This adds an extra layer of security, making it challenging for attackers to obtain the original passwords.
Python's hashlib library provides a simple interface for secure hash and message digest algorithms. We'll use it to hash passwords securely. The following example demonstrates how to hash a password using the SHA-256 algorithm:
In this example, we've created a function hash_password that takes a plaintext password as input, hashes it using the SHA-256 algorithm, and returns the hashed password.
When a user attempts to log in, you can compare the hashed password stored in your database with the hashed version of the entered password. Here's an example of how to verify a password:
This example demonstrates the verify_password function, which compares the hash of the entered password with the stored hash. If they match, the entered password is correct.
To enhance security further, it's common to use a unique salt for each password. A salt is a random value that is combined with the password before hashing. This prevents attackers from using precomputed tables (rainbow tables) to crack passwords. Here's an example of how to implement password hashing with salt:
When verifying a password, make sure to store the salt along with the hashed password in your database. When checking the entered password, use the stored salt to hash the entered password for comparison.
This example includes the verify_password_with_salt function, which uses the stored salt to hash the entered password for comparison.
In this tutorial, we've covered the basics of password hashing in Python using the hashlib library. It's essential to secure user