MD5 (Hashing Algorithm)

Roast of MD5 in the Age of RTX 4090

Alright, gather 'round folks, and let’s talk about MD5. If MD5 were a superhero, it would be the one with a flashy costume but absolutely no powers. Seriously, using MD5 to hash passwords in 2024 is like locking your door with a piece of string and hoping no one notices.

The RTX 4090 Reality Check

You know what’s really funny? The RTX 4090. This beast of a GPU can crunch through MD5 hashes faster than you can say "cybersecurity breach." We're talking about cracking 8-9 digit passwords in less than an hour. Let that sink in. Your precious MD5 hashed password stands about as much chance as a snowflake in a volcano.

The Community Wisdom

But don’t just take my word for it. Let’s see what the enlightened netizens have to say:

NegativeK drops the mic with this:

If you're a provider of some sort and storing passwords with MD5, shame on you. Or rc4. I'm looking at you, NTLM.

Seriously, shame on you. If you’re still clinging to MD5, it's time to reevaluate your life choices. Using MD5 in today’s world is like bringing a butter knife to a gunfight. You're not just behind the times; you're living in a different century.

thatguymike asks the crucial question:

What should I be doing to make a password that can't be cracked regardless of the hashing algorithm?

Good question, Mike. You want the secret sauce? It’s all about that high entropy.

lionkor brings the wisdom:

Start using very high entropy passwords which contain just about all printable ASCII characters, excluding whitespace. 
If a computer can't guess it, it won't crack the hash, either. 
Use a password manager and make those suckers 20-40 characters. 
Use a master key that is just a super long phrase interleaved with special characters. Easy to remember. 
Like titles of books you like, plus authors, plus something only you know. Stuff like "correct horse battery staple" has much more digits to guess than P@$$w0rd123

So, here’s the playbook:

1. High Entropy Passwords: Mix it up. All printable ASCII characters, no whitespace. It's like making a smoothie with every ingredient in your kitchen—confusing, but effective.
2. Password Length: Go long or go home. 20-40 characters minimum. This isn’t a Twitter post, it’s your digital vault.
3. Password Managers: Let technology do the heavy lifting. KeePass, LastPass, Bitwarden—pick your poison and let it create and store complex passwords for you.
4. Master Key: A super long passphrase with special characters. Easy to remember, hard to crack. Think "HarryPotter$J.K.Rowling%PrivetDrive$1977".

Conclusion

If you’re still using MD5, you’re playing with fire in a world full of industrial-grade RTX 4090 flamethrowers. It’s time to upgrade your defenses, embrace high entropy, and let password managers handle the rest. Remember, in the world of cybersecurity, the dinosaurs went extinct because they couldn’t adapt. Don’t let your password security suffer the same fate.