Java developers face the dilemma of choosing the best algorithm for storing and validating passwords. BCrypt, PBKDF2, and Argon2 are explored with examples in Spring Security integration.
Storing passwords as plain text is a severe security risk, emphasizing the use of one-way hash functions with salting and multiple iterations to prevent brute-force and rainbow table attacks.
BCrypt is widely favored in Spring Security due to its salting and work factor features. PBKDF2 offers more control over salt length, iterations, and hash algorithm, while Argon2 is modern and designed to resist both CPU and GPU cracking.
For most web apps, BCrypt is recommended as the default choice, PBKDF2 is suitable for FIPS-compliant hashing or greater configuration flexibility, and Argon2 is advisable for high-security applications. Choose the appropriate algorithm based on your specific requirements.