all-in-one privacy solution":["Proton Unlimited es una solución de privacidad todo en uno"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Sin anuncios. Privacidad por defecto."],"People before profits":["Primero las personas, luego los beneficios"],"Security through transparency":["Seguridad con transparencia"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["Las mejores ofertas de Proton Mail en el ${ BLACK_FRIDAY }"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["El único servicio de correo electrónico del mundo financiado por la comunidad"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } hora","${ hours } horas"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Tiempo restante: ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } y ${ secondsLeft }"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuto","${ minutes } minutos"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } segundo","${ seconds } segundos"],"Limited time offer":["Oferta por tiempo limitado"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Cree múltiples direcciones"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Seudónimos de hide-my-email"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Cancele suscripciones a boletines rápidamente"],"Use your own domain name":["Use su propio dominio"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Tal como aparece en"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Obtenga un correo electrónico cifrado que protege su privacidad"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Oferta de Black Friday de Proton Mail: hasta un 40% de descuento"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Aproveche las rebajas de Black Friday y obtenga suscripciones de Proton Mail con hasta un 40 % de descuento. Encontrará las mejores ofertas en planes de correo electrónico seguro cifrado de extremo a extremo."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Rebajas de Black Friday en Proton Mail | Hasta un 40 % de descuento en correo electrónico seguro"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["*Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante el primer año"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante los primeros 2 años"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["Garantía de devolución de dinero de 30 días"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante los primeros 2 años"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["Con un costo de ${ TOTAL_SUM } durante el primer año"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["Ahorre ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["-${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Amo mi Proton Mail"],"My favorite email service":["Mi servicio de correo electrónico favorito"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Gracias Proton por mantenernos a salvo en el complicado universo de Internet."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Obtiene aquello por lo que paga. En el caso de la gran tecnología, cuando uno no paga nada, se acostumbra. Dejé de usar Gmail y cambié a @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Días"],"Hours":["Horas"],"Min":["min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["Y mucho más"],"Safe from trackers":["A salvo de rastreadores"],"Stay organized":["Mantenga todo en orden"],"Black Friday email deals":["Ofertas en correo electrónico del Black Friday"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["No confíe solo en nuestra palabra"],"Make your inbox yours":["Tome posesión de su bandeja de entrada"],"Our story":["Nuestra historia"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Transfiera sus datos de Google con un solo clic"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acceda a contenidos bloqueados y navegue de forma privada. Incluye más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } servidores en más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } países, se conecta con hasta 10 dispositivos, accede a servicios de transmisión de todo el mundo, bloquea malware y publicidad y mucho más."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Comparta su calendario con familiares, amigos y compañeros fácilmente y consulte calendarios externos."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Incluye compatibilidad con 1 dominio de correo electrónico personalizado, 10 direcciones de correo electrónico, 10 seudónimos de hide-my-email, posibilidad de compartir calendario, etc."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Incluye compatibilidad con 3 dominios de correo electrónico personalizado, 15 direcciones de correo electrónico, seudónimos ilimitados de hide-my-email, posibilidad de compartir calendario, etc."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Administre hasta 25 calendarios, apps móviles, protegido con cifrado de extremo a extremo, importación de calendario con 1 clic desde Google y más."]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Más información"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["Tenga en cuenta que, en este momento, estamos experimentando problemas con el servicio ${ issues[0] }."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["En este momento, tenemos problemas con uno o más servicios."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["En este momento, tenemos problemas con el servicio Proton VPN."],"Learn more":["Más información"]},"steps":{"Step":["Paso"]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Sugerencias"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Subacategoria","Subcategorías"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } minuto","${ readingTime } minutos"],"Category":["Categoría","Categorías"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["¿No encontró lo que buscaba?"],"General contact":["Contacto general"],"Get help":["Obtener ayuda"],"Legal contact":["Contacto legal"],"Media contact":["Contacto para medios"],"Partnerships contact":["Contacto para colaboradores"],"Reading":["Lectura"]},"Support Form Platform option":{"VPN for Android TV":["VPN para Android TV"],"VPN for Apple TV":["VPN para Apple TV"],"VPN for Chromebook":["VPN para Chromebook"]},"Support troubleshooting":{"App version":["Versión de la app"],"Browser":["Navegador"],"Check if this helps":["Compruebe si le sirve"],"Choose a product":["Elija un producto"],"Did this solve your issue?":["¿Le ha resultado útil para resolver el problema?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away":["Solo le separan unos clics de una asistencia más rápida"],"How can we help?":["¿Cómo podemos ayudarle?"],"No, contact support":["No, contactar a soporte"],"Please fill out one field after another":["Complete un campo después de otro"],"Please make your selections":["Realice sus selecciones"],"Proton account":["Cuenta de Proton"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Gracias por sus comentarios"],"What can we help with?":["¿En qué podemos ayudarle?"],"Yes":["Sí"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Consulta"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Buscar"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Busco"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Para una resolución más rápida, reporte el problema desde la app Bridge: Ayuda > Reportar un problema."],"Information":["Información"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Seguridad de la cuenta"],"Contacts":["Contactos"],"Custom email domain":["Dominio de correo electrónico personalizado"],"Email delivery and Spam":["Entrega de correo electrónico y spam"],"Encryption":["Cifrado"],"Login and password":["Inicio de sesión y contraseña"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Combinar alias y cuentas"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migrar a Proton"],"Notifications":["Notificaciones"],"Other":["Otros"],"Plans and billing":["Planes y facturación"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Regístrese"],"Storage":["Almacenamiento"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Usuarios, direcciones e identidades"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Seleccione un tema"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Premios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Destacados"],"Go to testimonial source":["Ir a la fuente testimonial"],"Open source of award":["Abrir fuente del premio"],"Open source of quote":["Abrir fuente de la cita"],"Reviews":["Reseñas"],"Videos":["Videos"],"Watch on TikTok":["Ver en TikTok"],"Watch on YouTube":["Ver en YouTube"]},"TestimonialCategory":{"Awards":["Premios"],"Customers":["Clientes"],"Featured":["Destacados"],"Media":["Medios"],"Reviews":["Reseñas"],"Videos":["Videos"]},"Text":{"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Si necesita ayuda, consulte nuestra ${ supportLink }."],"The page you’re looking for might have been removed, or it could be an\nold link.":["Es posible que la página que busca haya sido eliminada o que sea un\nenlace antiguo."],"Your question may already have an answer in our knowledge base:":["Puede que haya respuesta a su pregunta en nuestra base de conocimientos:"]},"Title":{"On this page":["En esta página"],"Related articles":["Artículos relacionados"],"Share ${ thisPage }":["Compartir ${ thisPage }"],"Switch to Proton Pass - Contact us":["Cambie a Proton Pass - Contáctenos"],"Thank you!":["¡Gracias!"],"this page":["esta página"]},"tooltip_vpn":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Acceda a contenidos bloqueados y navegue de forma privada. Incluye más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } servidores en más de ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } países, la mayor velocidad VPN, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } conexiones VPN, servicios de transmisión en todo el mundo, bloqueador de malware y publicidad y mucho más."]},"vpn_servers":{"Get Proton VPN Plus":["Obtener Proton VPN Plus"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Action":{"Get Proton Wallet":["Obtener Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage hero product link title":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage product navigation bar":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:menu item":{"Bitcoin guide":["Guía sobre Bitcoin"],"Proton Wallet news":["Novedades sobre Proton Wallet"],"Proton Wallet support":["Soporte para Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Pricing":{"Includes everything in Proton Unlimited and":["Incluye todas las funciones en Proton Unlimited y"],"Limited availability":["Disponibilidad limitada"],"The easiest way to securely own, send, and receive Bitcoin":["La forma más fácil de retener, enviar y recibir Bitcoin con seguridad"]},"wallet_signup_2024:ProductRange":{"Discover Proton Wallet":["Descubra Proton Wallet"],"Store and transact Bitcoin privately with an encrypted self-custody wallet.":["Almacene Bitcoin y negocie de forma privada con una cartera de autocustodia cifrada."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet bitcoin":{"Learn about Bitcoin, the Internet's value network.":["Infórmese sobre Bitcoin, la red de valor de internet."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet overview":{"Ensure you're always in control of your Bitcoin.":["Asegúrese de tener siempre el control de su Bitcoin."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet security":{"The encrypted, open-source wallet that puts you in control.":["La cartera cifrada de código abierto que le permite controlarlo todo."]}}},"base":"blog","cdn":{"enabledForAssets":true,"enabledForImages":true,"url":"https://pmecdn.protonweb.com/"},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
window.frameworkContext = frameworkContext;
const context = frameworkContext.base === '' ? '' : `${frameworkContext.base}/`;
window.__toAssetUrl = (filename) => {
if (frameworkContext.cdn !== undefined && frameworkContext.cdn.enabledForAssets === true) {
return `${frameworkContext.cdn.url}${context}${filename}`;
} else {
return `/${context}${filename}`;
}
};
})();
If you’re comparing different password managers or researching password security, you’ll quickly run into terms like hashing and salting. While these terms might sound like steps you take to make breakfast potatoes, they’re actually processes that are essential to securing any online account.
This article explains what password hashing and salting mean, how they work, and why they’re necessary.
Hashing is a way to scramble information into a fixed-length string of letters and numbers. You can take unencrypted information, be it a password, image, or entire book, and feed it into a hash function, which turns that information into a hash value with a specific number of characters. For example, SHA-256, one of the most common hash functions, always creates 256-bit (32-byte) hash values.
Besides creating a fixed-length product, there are two other things that distinguish hashing from standard encryption. Hashing is:
Irreversible — You cannot “unhash” (or regenerate the original information) a hash value no matter what you do.
Deterministic — If you enter the same input information into a hash function, it will return the same hash value every time.
Unpredictable — It should be almost impossible to guess its resulting hash value for any given input information. In fact, if you can take a hash value and easily guess or create the input that would generate that hash value, then that hash function should be considered vulnerable and avoided.
These three characteristics make hashing a good way to securely store and verify passwords.
Hashing, password storage, and password authentication
When you create a new online account, you invariably provide a username (usually your email address) and create a password. This lets the service know who you are and verify that it’s actually you.
But the password creates a tricky problem for service providers. They essentially have three options. They can store your password in plaintext, encrypted, or hashed.
It doesn’t take a cybersecurity expert to see the problems with storing passwords in plaintext. This would let the service access your account whenever it wants, and your password would be exposed if there was ever a breach.
Encryption also doesn’t work. If a service encrypts a password using keys it controls, it can still access your password whenever (and potentially expose it in a breach). And it can’t encrypt your password using a key it doesn’t control (a key that’s on your device, for example) because that doesn’t allow it to verify that your password is correct when you log in.
Hashing is a good compromise. Because hashing is irreversible, services can store your password and assure its users that it can’t access their accounts and that their passwords will be safe in a breach.
And because hashing is deterministic, a service can verify a password by comparing the two hash values. If the hash values match, the service knows the input information (the passwords) match, even if the service doesn’t know what the actual password is.
It’s a clever system, but hashing has an issue with predictability. If you assume that one of the most common passwords for any service will be “password”. With this information, you can probably find the accounts that use “password” simply by looking at the most repeated hash values.
In fact, there is a cyberattack devoted to cracking hashes using so-called rainbow tables, which compile hashes and try to make sense of the rules governing them in large tables. They’re effective exactly because hashes are predictable.
Password salting
To minimize a hash function’s predictability, programmers use salting. Salting is a technique that takes the predictable hash function and adds some extra “flavor” — hence the term “salt” — in the form of unpredictability. A salt is a short set of random characters added to each password before it’s hashed.
What makes a salt special is that each one is unique to each user. If you create a password with a service, it’s assigned a salt that nobody else has. If you change your password, some services will use a new salt to go with it. This essentially ensures that no password (and therefore, no hash value) is ever repeated as long as a new, random salt value is used for each new password.
This makes the task of any would-be attacker a lot harder. Their rainbow tables are useless since salting makes the hash values unpredictable. All that remains is to make sure that your password is random enough to deter any dictionary attacks.
How we secure passwords at Proton
At Proton, we put our users’ privacy and security first. We never send your password to our servers, relying instead on the Secure Remote Password (SRP) protocol. SRP allows a user to authenticate themselves to a server (and vice versa) by proving that they know the password without sharing the password itself or any information that an attacker could use to derive the password (like a hash sum, for example). Your password remains secure on your device.
We do use hashing and salting, but for your account keys. Once you successfully log in, Proton sends your account keys to your client. Your client then salts and hashes your password using bcrypt and uses the resulting hash value as the key to decrypt your account key. Once your account key is decrypted, it can then be used to access your emails, calendars, etc. This process happens locally on your device so your password and hash never leaves it.
You can extend this level of protection to your other accounts as well with Proton Pass, our end-to-end encrypted password manager.
As you can read in our full breakdown of the Proton Pass security model, we end-to-end encrypt your passwords individually as well as the vaults where you store them, preventing anyone, including us, from being able to see your items at any point in the transfer process.
We can offer this kind of enhanced security because we’re funded entirely by you, our users. Without shareholders or venture capital investors to worry about, we can focus on developing tools that offer the very best in security and usability without cutting costs or corners. The result is a service that puts you first, whether it’s having the best encryption technology or offering a best-in-class interface. If that sounds like something you would like to try for yourself, join Proton Pass today.