Password Encryption: Does the Programming Language Matter?

Password Encryption: Does the Programming Language Matter?

Just as there is no one best programming language to use for all websites, there’s also no programming language that’s considered “best” for password encryptions. This basically means that any programming language will do as long as the developer you’ve hired is confident about it. In other words, the security of your website is dependent more on the skill of the developer than the credibility of the language s/he is using to build your site.

There are, however, “best practices” to keep in mind. Hackers are getting better and better at decrypting passwords, so the best way to keep your system hacker-free is to enforce these rules:

• Require all of the members of your website to apply both numerical and alphabetical values to their passwords. Purely numerical or purely alphabetical passwords are easier to crack.
• Salt the passwords using a reliable application.
• Use hashes instead of reversible encryptions. Reversible encryptions can be cracked too easily. Most users use a single password for all of their accounts. This means that if another website is hacked and you share a common user with this site, your website security can be threatened as well.
• Some website developers implement password expirations. This is a bad idea because users will be discouraged from using complex alphanumeric passwords.
• Do not store passwords on your database, especially plain text ones.
• Use a common algorithm for your website. Complex/unique ones can be deduced from hashes. Once this is cracked, you’re going to have a problem with website security for a long time.
• Give your end users a password length requirement. 6 to 12 characters are standard requirements these days because a password that’s any shorter than six characters is easily cracked.

These rules might seem stiff, but as long as you tell your users how this is needed for their own security, you won’t turn them off. A long password requirement is better than an unsecure website. Password encryption is necessary, especially for websites which contain your end users’ personal information.

If you are after a professional Gold Coast programmer to develop your website, contact Ignition Media, our programmers ensure all security measures are in place to provide you with the highest levels of security.