Why are passwords typically hashed?

Passwords are typically hashed to enhance security, particularly against attacks that target password files. When a password is hashed, it is transformed into a fixed-size string of characters, which is designed to be irreversible. This means that even if an attacker gains access to the hashed password data, they cannot easily retrieve the original password.

Hashing provides a layer of protection because it mitigates the risk of clear-text password exposure. In the event of a data breach, if passwords are stored in their hashed form, the attacker would face significant challenges in attempting to decrypt them back to their original form. This reinforces the integrity of the system and helps safeguard user accounts from unauthorized access.

The hashing process can also involve additional techniques such as salting, which further complicates an attacker's efforts by adding unique data to each password before hashing, making it even more challenging to crack. This approach highlights the importance of using hashed passwords as a best practice in security protocols to protect sensitive information from compromise.