The Efficiency of using Salt Against Password Attacking

Abstract

            Password is used in the process of authentication and gaining the access right to get into the system, therefore, password must be stored in secured place and away from any type of password attack. Hash function is used to protect plain text password whenever the password is attacked. However, hashed value of password generated from the faster hashing formulation can still be easy to break. Another technique to provide strength to password is adding a set of string called salt into password before performing hash function. The objectives of this study included 1) to enhance the security of weak password and 2) to evaluate if the position of placing salted value has significant to the strength of the password. This research stared from selecting 10 weak passwords. The position of placing salted value consists of 1) prefix 2) suffix and 3) inserted salt which considered by the frequency alphabet used. When high rate of letter using is found, salt value will be placed after that particular letter. After the process of placing salt, all passwords are performed the password attacking via Dictionary Attack and Brute Force Attack. The result stated that the use of salt can significantly enhance the level of difficulty and complexity to crack password and can improve the attack resistance level of weak password to meet the same security level as strong password. Moreover, the position of salt insertion has notable significance to the security level of password which consists of frequency letter.