Argon2
Definition
Argon2 is a memory-hard password hashing function that won the Password Hashing Competition in 2015. By requiring significant memory alongside computation, Argon2 resists both GPU-based attacks and provides security margins against quantum brute-force attacks on passwords.
Technical Explanation
Argon2 variants: Argon2d maximizes resistance to GPU cracking (data-dependent access), Argon2i resists side-channel attacks (data-independent access), Argon2id combines both (recommended for most uses). Parameters include memory cost, time cost, and parallelism.
Memory hardness ensures attackers cannot use specialized hardware (ASICs) efficiently—memory access speeds, not computation, become the bottleneck. Against Grover's algorithm, memory requirements persist, limiting quantum speedup for password attacks.
SynX Relevance
SynX wallet encryption uses Argon2id for password-based key derivation. Unlocking your wallet requires satisfying memory requirements regardless of computational power. Combined with quantum-resistant encryption, Argon2 protects your wallet against all practical attacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Argon2 parameters should I use?
- Argon2id with memory ≥64MB, time ≥3 iterations, parallelism matching your cores. Tune for 0.5-1 second unlock.
- Is Argon2 better than bcrypt?
- Yes—memory hardness provides stronger protection than bcrypt's computation-only approach.
- Does Argon2 resist quantum attacks?
- Memory requirements persist against Grover's; quantum speedup is less effective than against simple hashing.
Memory-hard wallet protection. Argon2-secured wallets with SynX