[RESOLVED] Resetting a password with the MD5 value

Aido82

Hi
I am resetting a password users that have forgot theres. I am using the following code, which is resetting the password for me

$password = substr (MD5(uniqid(rand(),1)), 6, 10);

It displays the pw value of "7260806e66" but adds the value of "*F80A0989CFD9AC03E20" to the mysql database . I cant log in with the value on screen, but the value in the database works fine.

Any ideas, why is it two different values, and why doesnt one of them work

Thanks in advance

Roger_Ramjet

The value in the database is the HEX string produced by MD5, what you see on the screen is that string interpretted by the browser (if you are displaying $password). What you need to do is to generate a random string, display that and then run it through MD5 and store it in the db. When someone enters the displayed password that also gets run through MD5 before being compared to the value stored in the db. Doing anything else defeats the purpose of using MD5.

Aido82

thanks ill give that a try

Aido82

sorry dont know how to make the database and php display the Hash version

Roger_Ramjet

You don't want either of them to display the hash - that is the whole point. The hash is for security.

Just generate a string
Display it
Hash it and store the hash in the db
When someone logs in, you hash the string and compare it to the hash stored in the db.

Aido82

Thanks got it to work finally

thanks for your help mate

much appreciated

bradgrafelman

Don't forget to mark this thread resolved.