How to use SHA-256

[DeezerD]

Hi there

I would like to know how to use SHA-256 to hash my passwords
It mhash the only function that can do it?
Code:

mhash(MHASH_SHA256,$string);

When I use mhash(), I get a string with weird caracters instead of something like "5b5cdff61cdb68ed059e39b3f9c82588"

Is it normal?
thanks for your help

[TheAlbinoEthiopian]

I believe PHP5 has a sha256 function, but I haven't gotten anything to work on PHP4.

[Little_G]

Hi,

Try,

bin2hex(mhash(MHASH_SHA256,$string));

Andrew

ps. As of PHP 5.3.0 mhash is obsoleted by Hash [php.net].

[edited by: Little_G at 10:56 pm (utc) on Aug. 25, 2007]

[DeezerD]

thanks little_g
Would you then recommand to always use Hash() instead of mhash()?

[Little_G]

Hi,

If you are using a version of PHP that supports it then you may as well, because mhash has been removed from PHP 5.3.0, so if you use Hash your scripts will be forward compatible with future updates to PHP.

Andrew

[DeezerD]

thanks a lot for your very clear answer

[Little_G]

Anytime!

Andrew