Password Verify - PHP

Introduction

password_verify is a built-in function in PHP that is used to verify if a password matches a given hash. This function was introduced in PHP 5.5.0 to make password hashing and verification easier and more secure.

In previous versions of PHP, password hashing was done using the md5() or sha1() functions, which were not secure enough due to their vulnerability to brute-force attacks. The use of these functions is now considered deprecated in PHP.

Syntax

bool password_verify ( string $password , string $hash )

Parameters

password

The password to verify.

hash

A hashed password generated using the password_hash() function.

Return Value

The return value of password_verify() is a boolean value (true or false) depending on whether the password matches the given hash or not.

Example Usage

<?php
// password hash generated using the default algorithm
$hash = password_hash('password123', PASSWORD_DEFAULT);

// verify the password against the hash
if (password_verify('password123', $hash)) {
    echo 'password matches';
} else {
    echo 'password does not match';
}
?>

Conclusion

password_verify() is a crucial function in PHP, specifically for secure password authentication. It ensures that user passwords are kept secure by using strong hashing algorithms and provides an easy way to verify whether a password matches a given hash. When combined with some encryption, hashing, and best password practices, one can create a secure, password-protected system.