Understanding the logic behind the login and signup page

When a user creates an account on a website or application, they are typically asked to provide a username and password. The username is a unique identifier for the user, while the password is a secret that only the user should know.

The website or application then stores the username and password in a database. However, the password is not stored in plain text. Instead, it’s converted into a hash. A hash is a one-way function, meaning that it is easy to calculate the hash of a password, but it is very difficult to reverse the process and calculate the password from the hash.

This is done for security reasons. If a hacker were to gain access to the database, they would not be able to read the passwords in plain text. They would only be able to read the hashes. Even if the hacker knew the hashing algorithm used, it would still be very difficult for them to crack the password.

When a user logs in, they are asked to enter their username and password. The website or application then calculates the hash of the password that the user entered and compares it to the hash that is stored in the database. If the two hashes match, then the user is successfully logged in.

Here is a step-by-step explanation of the logic behind the login and signup page:

1. The user enters their username and password on the signup page.
2. The website or application converts the password into a hash.
3. The website or application saves the username and password hash in the database.
4. The user is redirected to the login page.
5. The user enters their username and password on the login page.
6. The website or application calculates the hash of the password that the user entered and compares it to the hash that is stored in the database.
7. If the two hashes match, then the user is successfully logged in.
8. If the two hashes do not match, then the user is not successfully logged in.

There are a few reasons it is important to store the username and password hashes permanently in a database:

• To allow users to log into their accounts
• To allow users to recover their passwords if they forget them
• To prevent unauthorized access to user accounts

If the username and password hashes were not stored permanently in a database, then users would not be able to log into their accounts or recover their passwords if they forgot them. Additionally, unauthorized users would be able to gain access to user accounts simply by guessing the correct username and password.

It is important to note that even though passwords are stored as hashes in the database, it is still possible for hackers to crack them. However, it is much more difficult to crack a hash than it is to crack a plain text password.

Here are some tips for creating strong passwords:

• Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
• Make your password at least 12 characters long
• Avoid using common words or phrases in your password such as qwerty, 12345678, user, admin, and so on
• Do not use your name, birthday, or other personal information in your password
• Use a different password for each website or application that you use

At this point, the importance of a signup/login page should be clear, as well as the importance of avoiding weak passwords. It’s time to understand what a secure hash algorithm is.