crypto-js vs md5 vs bcrypt vs sha1 vs sha256
Cryptographic Libraries in JavaScript Comparison
1 Year
crypto-jsmd5bcryptsha1sha256Similar Packages:
What's Cryptographic Libraries in JavaScript?

Cryptographic libraries in JavaScript provide developers with tools to implement secure hashing, encryption, and decryption functionalities. These libraries are essential for protecting sensitive data, ensuring data integrity, and implementing secure authentication mechanisms. Each library has its own strengths and use cases, making it crucial for developers to choose the right one based on their specific security requirements and performance considerations.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
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Stat Detail
Package
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crypto-js9,114,01216,130487 kB2762 years agoMIT
md58,860,90591221.4 kB13-BSD-3-Clause
bcrypt2,194,1517,6351.11 MB21a month agoMIT
sha1693,207107-010 years agoBSD-3-Clause
sha25670,36047-410 years ago-
Feature Comparison: crypto-js vs md5 vs bcrypt vs sha1 vs sha256

Purpose

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js is a general-purpose cryptographic library that provides a wide range of cryptographic algorithms, including hashing and encryption, making it suitable for various security needs in web applications.

  • md5:

    MD5 is primarily used for checksums and data integrity verification rather than security. It is fast and suitable for non-critical applications where security is not a concern.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is specifically designed for hashing passwords securely. It incorporates a salt to protect against rainbow table attacks and allows for adjustable work factors to increase hashing time as hardware improves.

  • sha1:

    SHA-1 is a hashing algorithm that was widely used for data integrity but is now considered weak against collision attacks. It is still used in some legacy systems but not recommended for new applications.

  • sha256:

    SHA-256 is a cryptographic hash function that is part of the SHA-2 family. It is widely used for secure data hashing and is considered secure against collision attacks.

Security

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js provides a range of algorithms, but the security of its implementations depends on the chosen algorithm and usage. Developers must ensure proper implementation to avoid vulnerabilities.

  • md5:

    MD5 is not secure for cryptographic purposes due to known vulnerabilities, including collision attacks. It should not be used for password hashing or sensitive data.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is highly secure for password storage due to its adaptive nature, making it resistant to brute-force attacks. It is the recommended choice for securely hashing passwords.

  • sha1:

    SHA-1 is also considered insecure for cryptographic purposes due to vulnerabilities that allow for collision attacks. It is not recommended for new applications requiring strong security.

  • sha256:

    SHA-256 is currently considered secure and is widely used in security protocols. It is resistant to collision attacks and is suitable for secure hashing.

Performance

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js offers a good balance of performance and security, but the speed varies depending on the algorithm used. It is generally fast for most common cryptographic operations.

  • md5:

    MD5 is very fast, making it suitable for applications where performance is a priority, but this speed comes at the cost of security.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is slower than other hashing algorithms due to its design, which is intentional to enhance security. This makes it less suitable for high-performance applications where speed is critical.

  • sha1:

    SHA-1 is relatively fast compared to SHA-256, but its performance is not as critical as its security weaknesses. It is faster than SHA-256 but should be avoided for secure applications.

  • sha256:

    SHA-256 is slower than MD5 and SHA-1 but provides better security. It is suitable for applications where security is more important than speed.

Use Cases

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js is suitable for applications that require both encryption and hashing, such as securing sensitive data in transit or at rest.

  • md5:

    MD5 is often used for checksums and data integrity verification in non-security-critical applications, such as file downloads or data validation.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is ideal for securely hashing user passwords in authentication systems, ensuring that even if the database is compromised, the passwords remain protected.

  • sha1:

    SHA-1 can be found in legacy systems and applications that have not yet migrated to more secure hashing algorithms, but it should be avoided in new projects.

  • sha256:

    SHA-256 is widely used in blockchain technology, digital signatures, and secure communications, making it a go-to choice for applications requiring strong data integrity.

Community Support

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js has a large user base and active community, providing ample documentation and examples for various cryptographic needs.

  • md5:

    MD5 is well-known and has extensive legacy documentation, but its use is declining due to security concerns, leading to less community focus on new developments.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt has strong community support and is widely adopted for password hashing, with many resources available for implementation and best practices.

  • sha1:

    SHA-1 has significant historical documentation, but due to its vulnerabilities, community support is shifting towards more secure alternatives like SHA-256.

  • sha256:

    SHA-256 is widely supported and has extensive documentation, with a strong community advocating for its use in modern security practices.

How to Choose: crypto-js vs md5 vs bcrypt vs sha1 vs sha256
  • crypto-js:

    Select crypto-js for a versatile library that supports various cryptographic algorithms, including AES and HMAC, suitable for both encryption and hashing needs in web applications.

  • md5:

    Use md5 for legacy systems or non-security-critical applications where speed is more important than security, as it is fast but vulnerable to collision attacks.

  • bcrypt:

    Choose bcrypt for password hashing, as it is specifically designed to be slow to mitigate brute-force attacks, making it ideal for securely storing user passwords.

  • sha1:

    Opt for sha1 if you need a faster hashing algorithm than SHA-256, but be aware that it is considered weak against collision attacks and is not recommended for security-sensitive applications.

  • sha256:

    Choose sha256 for a secure hashing algorithm that is widely used in various security protocols and provides a good balance between performance and security.

README for crypto-js

crypto-js

JavaScript library of crypto standards.

Discontinued

Active development of CryptoJS has been discontinued. This library is no longer maintained.

Nowadays, NodeJS and modern browsers have a native Crypto module. The latest version of CryptoJS already uses the native Crypto module for random number generation, since Math.random() is not crypto-safe. Further development of CryptoJS would result in it only being a wrapper of native Crypto. Therefore, development and maintenance has been discontinued, it is time to go for the native crypto module.

Node.js (Install)

Requirements:

  • Node.js
  • npm (Node.js package manager)
npm install crypto-js

Usage

ES6 import for typical API call signing use case:

import sha256 from 'crypto-js/sha256';
import hmacSHA512 from 'crypto-js/hmac-sha512';
import Base64 from 'crypto-js/enc-base64';

const message, nonce, path, privateKey; // ...
const hashDigest = sha256(nonce + message);
const hmacDigest = Base64.stringify(hmacSHA512(path + hashDigest, privateKey));

Modular include:

var AES = require("crypto-js/aes");
var SHA256 = require("crypto-js/sha256");
...
console.log(SHA256("Message"));

Including all libraries, for access to extra methods:

var CryptoJS = require("crypto-js");
console.log(CryptoJS.HmacSHA1("Message", "Key"));

Client (browser)

Requirements:

  • Node.js
  • Bower (package manager for frontend)
bower install crypto-js

Usage

Modular include:

require.config({
    packages: [
        {
            name: 'crypto-js',
            location: 'path-to/bower_components/crypto-js',
            main: 'index'
        }
    ]
});

require(["crypto-js/aes", "crypto-js/sha256"], function (AES, SHA256) {
    console.log(SHA256("Message"));
});

Including all libraries, for access to extra methods:

// Above-mentioned will work or use this simple form
require.config({
    paths: {
        'crypto-js': 'path-to/bower_components/crypto-js/crypto-js'
    }
});

require(["crypto-js"], function (CryptoJS) {
    console.log(CryptoJS.HmacSHA1("Message", "Key"));
});

Usage without RequireJS

<script type="text/javascript" src="path-to/bower_components/crypto-js/crypto-js.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
    var encrypted = CryptoJS.AES(...);
    var encrypted = CryptoJS.SHA256(...);
</script>

API

See: https://cryptojs.gitbook.io/docs/

AES Encryption

Plain text encryption

var CryptoJS = require("crypto-js");

// Encrypt
var ciphertext = CryptoJS.AES.encrypt('my message', 'secret key 123').toString();

// Decrypt
var bytes  = CryptoJS.AES.decrypt(ciphertext, 'secret key 123');
var originalText = bytes.toString(CryptoJS.enc.Utf8);

console.log(originalText); // 'my message'

Object encryption

var CryptoJS = require("crypto-js");

var data = [{id: 1}, {id: 2}]

// Encrypt
var ciphertext = CryptoJS.AES.encrypt(JSON.stringify(data), 'secret key 123').toString();

// Decrypt
var bytes  = CryptoJS.AES.decrypt(ciphertext, 'secret key 123');
var decryptedData = JSON.parse(bytes.toString(CryptoJS.enc.Utf8));

console.log(decryptedData); // [{id: 1}, {id: 2}]

List of modules

  • crypto-js/core
  • crypto-js/x64-core
  • crypto-js/lib-typedarrays

  • crypto-js/md5
  • crypto-js/sha1
  • crypto-js/sha256
  • crypto-js/sha224
  • crypto-js/sha512
  • crypto-js/sha384
  • crypto-js/sha3
  • crypto-js/ripemd160

  • crypto-js/hmac-md5
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha1
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha256
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha224
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha512
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha384
  • crypto-js/hmac-sha3
  • crypto-js/hmac-ripemd160

  • crypto-js/pbkdf2

  • crypto-js/aes
  • crypto-js/tripledes
  • crypto-js/rc4
  • crypto-js/rabbit
  • crypto-js/rabbit-legacy
  • crypto-js/evpkdf

  • crypto-js/format-openssl
  • crypto-js/format-hex

  • crypto-js/enc-latin1
  • crypto-js/enc-utf8
  • crypto-js/enc-hex
  • crypto-js/enc-utf16
  • crypto-js/enc-base64

  • crypto-js/mode-cfb
  • crypto-js/mode-ctr
  • crypto-js/mode-ctr-gladman
  • crypto-js/mode-ofb
  • crypto-js/mode-ecb

  • crypto-js/pad-pkcs7
  • crypto-js/pad-ansix923
  • crypto-js/pad-iso10126
  • crypto-js/pad-iso97971
  • crypto-js/pad-zeropadding
  • crypto-js/pad-nopadding

Release notes

4.2.0

Change default hash algorithm and iteration's for PBKDF2 to prevent weak security by using the default configuration.

Custom KDF Hasher

Blowfish support

4.1.1

Fix module order in bundled release.

Include the browser field in the released package.json.

4.1.0

Added url safe variant of base64 encoding. 357

Avoid webpack to add crypto-browser package. 364

4.0.0

This is an update including breaking changes for some environments.

In this version Math.random() has been replaced by the random methods of the native crypto module.

For this reason CryptoJS might not run in some JavaScript environments without native crypto module. Such as IE 10 or before or React Native.

3.3.0

Rollback, 3.3.0 is the same as 3.1.9-1.

The move of using native secure crypto module will be shifted to a new 4.x.x version. As it is a breaking change the impact is too big for a minor release.

3.2.1

The usage of the native crypto module has been fixed. The import and access of the native crypto module has been improved.

3.2.0

In this version Math.random() has been replaced by the random methods of the native crypto module.

For this reason CryptoJS might does not run in some JavaScript environments without native crypto module. Such as IE 10 or before.

If it's absolute required to run CryptoJS in such an environment, stay with 3.1.x version. Encrypting and decrypting stays compatible. But keep in mind 3.1.x versions still use Math.random() which is cryptographically not secure, as it's not random enough.

This version came along with CRITICAL BUG.

DO NOT USE THIS VERSION! Please, go for a newer version!

3.1.x

The 3.1.x are based on the original CryptoJS, wrapped in CommonJS modules.