Plain Text Passwords
Plain text passwords refer to passwords stored or transmitted without any form of encryption or hashing, making them easily readable by humans or machines. This practice is a critical security vulnerability because it exposes sensitive credentials to unauthorized access, data breaches, or interception. It is widely considered a fundamental security anti-pattern in software development and system administration.
Developers should understand plain text passwords to avoid implementing insecure authentication systems, which can lead to severe security incidents like account takeovers or data leaks. This knowledge is essential when designing user authentication, password storage, or data transmission protocols, ensuring compliance with security best practices such as using hashing algorithms like bcrypt or Argon2. It is particularly crucial in web applications, databases, and any system handling user credentials.