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Insecure encryption algorithm - MD5

Need​

Implementation of secure encryption algorithms for password hashing

Context​

  • Usage of Scala for building scalable and high-performance applications
  • Usage of java.security.MessageDigest for cryptographic hashing and message digest operations

Description​

Non compliant code​

import java.security.MessageDigest

def hashPassword(password: String): String = {
    val md = MessageDigest.getInstance("MD5")
    val hashBytes = md.digest(password.getBytes)
    return hashBytes.map("%02x".format(_)).mkString
}

The above Scala code snippet is a function that hashes a password using the MD5 hashing algorithm. This function accepts a password as a string, creates an instance of the MessageDigest class with the MD5 algorithm, and then hashes the password.

The MessageDigest.getInstance("MD5") line of code is where the MD5 algorithm is specified. This is an insecure encryption algorithm that is vulnerable to various attacks such as collision attacks.

The md.digest(password.getBytes) line of code is where the password is converted to bytes and then hashed using the MD5 algorithm.

Finally, the hashBytes.map("%02x".format(_)).mkString line of code converts the hashed byte array into a string.

The vulnerability here is the use of the MD5 hashing algorithm. MD5 is a widely deprecated cryptographic hash function that produces a 128-bit (16-byte) hash value. It is commonly used to verify data integrity. However, MD5 is not collision-resistant; as of 2018, an attack that can generate a collision in less than 2 minutes has been demonstrated.

In the context of password storage, if an attacker is able to produce a hash collision, they can then authenticate themselves as any user without knowing the user's password. This is a significant security risk, particularly for applications with sensitive data.

Steps​

  • Step 1: Replace the usage of MD5 algorithm with a stronger and more secure hashing algorithm such as bcrypt or Argon2.
  • Step 2: Update the code to use the recommended password hashing library or framework provided by the Play framework.
  • Step 3: Implement a salt value to add an extra layer of security to the password hashing process.
  • Step 4: Ensure that the salt value is unique for each user and is securely stored.
  • Step 5: Consider implementing additional security measures such as password complexity requirements and password expiration policies.
  • Step 6: Test the updated code thoroughly to ensure that the new password hashing mechanism is functioning correctly.
  • Step 7: Update the documentation and educate the development team about the importance of using secure password hashing algorithms.

Compliant code​

import org.mindrot.jbcrypt.BCrypt

def hashPassword(password: String): String = {
    val salt = BCrypt.gensalt()
    val hashedPassword = BCrypt.hashpw(password, salt)
    return hashedPassword
}

The updated code uses the BCrypt algorithm, which is a much stronger and more secure hashing algorithm compared to MD5. BCrypt is designed to be slow and computationally intensive, which makes it very resistant to brute force and rainbow table attacks.

The BCrypt.gensalt() function is used to generate a unique salt value for each password. This salt value is then combined with the password in the BCrypt.hashpw() function to create the hashed password. The salt is automatically included in the resulting hashed password string, so there is no need to store it separately.

The salt adds an extra layer of security to the password hashing process. Even if two users have the same password, their hashed passwords will be different due to the unique salt values. This makes it much more difficult for an attacker to crack the passwords.

In addition to using a secure password hashing algorithm and salt values, it is also recommended to implement additional security measures such as password complexity requirements and password expiration policies. These measures can further enhance the security of the user passwords.

After updating the code, it is important to test it thoroughly to ensure that the new password hashing mechanism is functioning correctly. The development team should also be educated about the importance of using secure password hashing algorithms. The documentation should be updated to reflect the changes made to the password hashing process.

References​

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