How Can I Improve Password Hashing and Salting in C# for Better Performance?

Optimizing Password Hashing and Salting in C#

Robust password security relies heavily on effective hashing and salting. While existing methods exist, they often involve string conversions that negatively impact performance. This article presents a more efficient approach using direct binary operations in C#.

The following code demonstrates a refined method:

<code class="language-csharp">static byte[] GenerateSaltedHash(byte[] plainText, byte[] salt)
{
  using (HashAlgorithm algorithm = new SHA256Managed()) 
  {
    byte[] plainTextWithSaltBytes = new byte[plainText.Length + salt.Length];
    Array.Copy(plainText, plainTextWithSaltBytes, plainText.Length);
    Array.Copy(salt, 0, plainTextWithSaltBytes, plainText.Length, salt.Length);
    return algorithm.ComputeHash(plainTextWithSaltBytes);
  }
}</code>

This improved method directly concatenates the plaintext password and the salt as byte arrays before hashing, eliminating the overhead of string conversions. This leads to a significant performance boost.

Remember: Each password must have a unique salt, stored securely alongside the corresponding hash. Directly comparing byte arrays using == checks references, not values. Use a dedicated byte array comparison function (like SequenceEqual from System.Linq) for accurate verification.

By implementing these best practices, you can ensure strong password protection without sacrificing performance.

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