Hashed Fried Password Security Against Brute Force Attacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password security methods are inadequate in resisting brute force and pre-computation attacks, as they either introduce unacceptable latency or are not robust enough to deter determined attackers, especially with advancements in parallel computing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of 'hashed fried passwords' that combine a password with a salt value, a pepper value, and a temporary, random fry value, which are then hashed using a hashing function, with the fry value not being stored to prevent attackers from learning it, thereby increasing computational complexity for unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional password hashing is used, then password storage security is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to brute force and pre-computation attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested layers of protection by combining multiple security mechanisms: the password is first hashed, then a salt is added to create a salted hash, and finally a pepper is added to create the final hashed salted peppered password. This nested structure ensures that each layer provides additional security against different types of attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-computing and storing the hashed salted peppered password in advance. During authentication, the system retrieves the stored hash and compares it with the newly computed hash from the user's password, avoiding the need to re-hash during the actual authentication moment and reducing latency.
2Reliability
If computational complexity is increased to resist attacks, then security is improved, but authentication latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the password, salt, and pepper into a single hashed salted peppered password value that is stored in the database. This combination allows the system to verify authentication by computing a single hash function call during login, rather than multiple separate operations, thereby reducing authentication latency while maintaining high security.
3Productivity
If passwords are stored in plain text, then authentication speed is improved, but security is severely compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the password from its original plain text form into a hashed salted peppered password through cryptographic hash functions. This parameter change ensures that even if the stored value is compromised, the original password cannot be easily recovered, while authentication speed is maintained through efficient hash comparison operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for authentication using a hashed fried password may include receiving a password value of a user, a salt key, a pepper key, and/or a temporary and randomly generated fry key, or otherwise modifying/appending the password with the salt key, pepper key, and/or fry key. The method may include hashing the modified password, such as performing a hash operation similar to Hash (Password, Salt Key, Pepper Key, Temporary Fry Key). The randomly generated fry key is not saved or otherwise stored, either locally or remotely. A remote server attempting to authenticate the user's password may check for each possible fry key, such as checking against a set of preapproved fry keys, that the hashed fried password may have been modified with in parallel. As a result, an online customer experience requiring a password is not impacted or impeded, while an attacker's attempts to learn the password are frustrated.