SonicOS 8 Users
Table of Contents
Non-Reversible Password Storage Using Secure Cryptographic Hashing
SonicOS enhances password security by implementing non-reversible storage using secure cryptographic hashing.
When enabled, all locally stored passwords (e.g., administrator and local user accounts) are processed using SHA-256 hashing combined with a unique random 64-bit salt per password. This ensures that even identical passwords result in different hash values.
Passwords are never stored in plaintext or reversible form. During authentication, the entered password is hashed with the stored salt, and the resulting digest is compared against the stored hash. Because cryptographic hashing is one-way, it is computationally infeasible to reconstruct the original password from the stored hash, even if the database is compromised. This significantly strengthens system security and aligns with modern compliance standards.
