There is a great article over at nettuts in regards to password security, properly hashing and storing passwords. It covers most of the basics including:
- What is hashing
- Storing hashed passwords
- Hash collision
- Rainbow Tables
- Hash algorithm speed
- Salting / Nonces
- Which hashing function to use
For any developer creating applications or systems with user login, this is a must read. There is also a hashing class provided to use with your own code. Check out the article:
Understanding Hash Functions and Keeping Passwords Safe
If you have any questions about any of the topics, drop me a comment.