Hotmail sign in credential storage

Hotmail, now known as Outlook.com, stores user sign-in credentials in a secure manner to protect user accounts from unauthorized access. Here's an overview of how Hotmail stores and handles user credentials:

  1. Password Hashing: When a user creates a Hotmail account, their password is hashed using a one-way encryption algorithm, such as bcrypt or PBKDF2. This means that the original password is not stored, but rather a unique hash value is generated and stored.
  2. Salted Hashing: To further enhance security, Hotmail uses salted hashing. A salt is a random value added to the password before hashing, making it more difficult for attackers to use precomputed tables (rainbow tables) to crack the password.
  3. Secure Storage: The hashed password and salt are stored in a secure database, protected by robust access controls, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems.
  4. Authentication: When a user attempts to sign in to their Hotmail account, the entered password is hashed using the same algorithm and salt used during account creation. The resulting hash value is then compared to the stored hash value. If the two values match, the user is authenticated.
  5. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Hotmail offers 2FA, which requires users to provide an additional verification code sent to their registered phone or email address, in addition to their password. This adds an extra layer of security to the sign-in process.
  6. Password Recovery: In case a user forgets their password, Hotmail provides a password recovery feature. When a user requests a password reset, Hotmail sends a password reset link to their registered email address. The link contains a unique token that can be used to reset the password.
  7. Data Encryption: Hotmail uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to protect user data, including passwords, during transmission over the internet.

By using a combination of password hashing, salting, secure storage, and additional security measures, Hotmail provides a robust and secure way to store and handle user sign-in credentials.