MySQL's Password Function for Application Security: A Thorny Question

When dealing with sensitive user data, securing passwords is paramount. MySQL's PASSWORD() function has sparked a debate over its suitability for hashing passwords in applications.

Is PASSWORD() a Reliable Hashing Tool?

MySQL's documentation explicitly advises against using PASSWORD() in applications, stating that it's reserved for the database's authentication system. However, it's worth noting that the function has both advantages and drawbacks:

• Advantages:

  • Built-in encryption for storing passwords securely
  • Wide availability in MySQL installations

• Disadvantages:

  • Limited hashing algorithms (SHA-1 and MD5)
  • Not intended for uses outside of MySQL's authentication system

Alternative Hashing Approaches

Given the limitations of PASSWORD(), developers typically favor using hashing and salting techniques in their applications:

• Hashing: Creating a one-way digest of the password using secure algorithms like SHA-256
• Salting: Adding a random string to the password before hashing to prevent rainbow table attacks

Many programming languages provide built-in functions for hashing, making it easy to implement these techniques.

MySQL's Evolving Stance

MySQL 5.5.8 introduced the SHA2() function to address concerns about the weakness of SHA-1 and MD5. However, with MySQL 8.0, the PASSWORD() function was removed, reinforcing the recommendation to use external hashing mechanisms.

Conclusion

While using MySQL's PASSWORD() function may offer some convenience, it's generally not considered good practice for securing passwords in applications. Instead, it's highly recommended to adopt robust hashing and salting techniques in the application code to ensure the utmost security of sensitive user information.