crypto-js vs pbkdf2 vs bcrypt vs scrypt-js
Password Hashing and Encryption Libraries
crypto-jspbkdf2bcryptscrypt-jsSimilar Packages:
Password Hashing and Encryption Libraries

Password hashing and encryption libraries provide developers with tools to securely handle sensitive information such as passwords and data encryption. These libraries implement various cryptographic algorithms to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. Utilizing these libraries is essential for protecting user credentials and sensitive data against unauthorized access and breaches. Each library offers unique features and use cases, making it crucial for developers to choose the right one based on their specific needs and security requirements.

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crypto-js11,377,40816,352487 kB2792 years agoMIT
pbkdf210,676,82620042.5 kB33 months agoMIT
bcrypt3,276,0407,7401.11 MB267 months agoMIT
scrypt-js1,258,898145-126 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: crypto-js vs pbkdf2 vs bcrypt vs scrypt-js

Hashing Algorithm

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js provides a variety of hashing algorithms, including SHA-1, SHA-256, and HMAC, allowing developers to choose the best fit for their needs. However, it does not focus specifically on password hashing.

  • pbkdf2:

    PBKDF2 is a key derivation function that applies a pseudorandom function to the input password along with a salt and iterates the process to produce a derived key. This makes it suitable for securely storing passwords.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt uses a strong adaptive hashing algorithm that incorporates a salt to protect against rainbow table attacks. It is designed to be computationally intensive, making brute-force attacks more difficult.

  • scrypt-js:

    Scrypt is designed to be memory-intensive, making it difficult for attackers to use specialized hardware to crack passwords. It combines both CPU and memory hardness, providing a high level of security.

Performance

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js is lightweight and optimized for performance, making it suitable for applications that require fast encryption and hashing without heavy computational overhead.

  • pbkdf2:

    PBKDF2 performance can be tuned by adjusting the iteration count, allowing developers to balance security and speed based on their application's requirements. Higher iterations increase security but also slow down the process.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is slower than many other hashing algorithms by design, which enhances security but may impact performance for high-volume applications. It is recommended to balance security and performance based on the application's needs.

  • scrypt-js:

    Scrypt-js is more resource-intensive than bcrypt and PBKDF2 due to its memory-hard nature, which can impact performance but significantly increases resistance to brute-force attacks.

Ease of Use

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js offers a flexible API that can be slightly more complex due to its support for multiple algorithms, but it is still manageable for developers familiar with cryptography.

  • pbkdf2:

    PBKDF2 has a clear API for key derivation, making it easy to use for developers who need to securely store passwords or derive keys from them.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt is straightforward to implement with simple APIs for hashing and verifying passwords, making it user-friendly for developers.

  • scrypt-js:

    Scrypt-js has a more complex setup compared to bcrypt, as it requires more parameters to be configured, which may pose a learning curve for new users.

Security Features

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js supports various encryption modes and padding schemes, allowing developers to implement secure encryption practices, but it requires careful configuration to avoid vulnerabilities.

  • pbkdf2:

    PBKDF2's strength lies in its ability to use a salt and a configurable number of iterations, which enhances security against brute-force attacks.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt automatically handles salting and includes a cost factor to adjust the hashing complexity, providing strong security against various attack vectors.

  • scrypt-js:

    Scrypt-js is designed to be resistant to hardware attacks by requiring significant memory resources, making it a strong choice for secure password hashing.

Community and Support

  • crypto-js:

    Crypto-js is widely used and has a good amount of community support, although its documentation may not be as comprehensive as others.

  • pbkdf2:

    PBKDF2 is a well-established standard with solid community backing, and many libraries implement it, ensuring good support and resources.

  • bcrypt:

    Bcrypt has a large community and extensive documentation, making it easy to find resources and support for implementation.

  • scrypt-js:

    Scrypt-js has a smaller community compared to bcrypt, but it is gaining traction due to its unique security features, and resources are available for developers.

How to Choose: crypto-js vs pbkdf2 vs bcrypt vs scrypt-js
  • crypto-js:

    Select crypto-js if you require a versatile library for both encryption and hashing that supports multiple algorithms (e.g., AES, SHA-1, SHA-256). It is ideal for applications needing lightweight encryption for data transmission or storage.

  • pbkdf2:

    Opt for pbkdf2 if you want a password-based key derivation function that is highly configurable, allowing you to adjust iterations and output length for enhanced security. It is suitable for applications that need to derive cryptographic keys from passwords.

  • bcrypt:

    Choose bcrypt if you need a widely adopted and robust password hashing solution that automatically handles salting and is designed to be slow to resist brute-force attacks. It is particularly suitable for applications where password security is paramount.

  • scrypt-js:

    Choose scrypt-js if you need a password hashing function that is memory-hard, making it resistant to GPU-based attacks. It is particularly useful for applications where high security against brute-force attacks is essential.

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.