Subscribe to Hexnode Blog
Get fresh insights, pro tips, and thought starters–only the best of posts for you.
BackWhat is bcrypt?
bcrypt is a password hashing algorithm designed to securely store passwords by converting them into irreversible cryptographic hashes. Developed from the Blowfish cipher, authentication systems widely implement them to protect passwords from brute-force and cracking attacks.
Unlike encryption, this process verifies passwords rather than recovering data. When users log in, the system hashes the entered password and compares it against the stored bcrypt hash instead of decrypting it.
How does bcrypt work?
The process typically involves:
- Generating or obtaining a unique salt for the password.
- Combining the password and salt.
- Applying the bcrypt hashing algorithm.
- Repeating computations according to a configurable cost factor.
- Storing the resulting hash and salt information.
Because they intentionally requires more computational effort than traditional hash functions, it makes large-scale password cracking significantly more difficult.
Why is it considered secure?
It includes several features specifically designed to improve password security.
| Feature | Security Benefit |
| Salt Generation | Prevents identical passwords from producing identical hashes |
| Adaptive Cost Factor | Allows security strength to increase as computing power improves |
| One-Way Hashing | Prevents recovery of the original password from the hash |
| Brute-Force Resistance | Slows down password-guessing attacks |
| Mature Adoption | Widely supported across applications and frameworks |
These characteristics have made them a common choice for password storage in web applications, enterprise systems, and authentication platforms.
bcrypt vs encryption vs hashing
| Characteristic | bcrypt | Encryption | Traditional Hashing |
| Primary Purpose | Password storage | Data confidentiality | Data integrity and verification |
| Reversible | No | Yes, with a key | No |
| Uses Salt | Yes | Not applicable | Depends on implementation |
| Adjustable Work Factor | Yes | No | Usually no |
| Password Storage Suitability | High | Low | Varies |
For password protection, bcrypt outperforms fast-purpose hashing algorithms because it intentionally slows down password-cracking attempts.
How Hexnode supports credential security
While it is a password hashing algorithm rather than an endpoint security tool, organizations must also secure the devices used to access applications and corporate resources.
Hexnode UEM helps organizations strengthen endpoint security through centralized device management, policy enforcement, compliance monitoring, and application management.
Organizations can use Hexnode to:
- Enforce security policies across managed devices
- Monitor device compliance status
- Deploy operating system and application updates
- Manage applications and configurations centrally
- Restrict unauthorized software installations
- Maintain visibility across distributed device fleets
By helping organizations maintain compliant and up-to-date managed devices, Hexnode supports endpoint security practices for devices used to access corporate applications and resources.
When should organizations use bcrypt?
Typical use cases include:
- Employee authentication systems
- Customer login portals
- Enterprise web applications
- SaaS platforms
- Identity and access management solutions
Organizations should avoid storing plaintext passwords and instead use proven password hashing algorithms such as bcrypt to reduce credential-related security risks.
FAQs
No, it is a one-way password hashing algorithm, while encryption is designed for reversible data protection.
Given enough time and resources, attackers may attempt to crack weak passwords, but bcrypt is designed to make such attacks computationally expensive.
bcrypt uses a salt as part of its password hashing process, and most bcrypt implementations generate and store the salt with the resulting hash.