---
title: Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme
description: The Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme provides a mechanism for encoding user passwords using the bcrypt message digest algorithm.
component: pingds
version: 7.5
page_id: pingds:configref:objects-bcrypt-password-storage-scheme
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/configref/objects-bcrypt-password-storage-scheme.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/configref/objects-bcrypt-password-storage-scheme.html
section_ids:
  parent: Parent
  bcrypt_password_storage_scheme_properties: Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme properties
  basic_properties: Basic properties
  bcrypt-cost: bcrypt-cost
  enabled: enabled
  rehash-policy: rehash-policy
  advanced_properties: Advanced properties
  java-class: java-class
---

# Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme

The Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme provides a mechanism for encoding user passwords using the bcrypt message digest algorithm.

This scheme contains an implementation for the user password syntax, with a storage scheme name of "BCRYPT".

## Parent

The Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme object inherits from [Password Storage Scheme](objects-password-storage-scheme.html).

## Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme properties

You can use configuration expressions to set property values at startup time. For details, see [Property value substitution](expressions.html).

| Basic Properties                                                                | Advanced Properties       |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| [bcrypt-cost](#bcrypt-cost) [enabled](#enabled) [rehash-policy](#rehash-policy) | [java-class](#java-class) |

### Basic properties

Use the `--advanced` option to access advanced properties.

### bcrypt-cost

|                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | The cost parameter specifies a key expansion iteration count as a power of two. A default value of 12 (2^12 iterations) is considered in 2016 as a reasonable balance between responsiveness and security for regular users.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| *Description*           | By default, changes to this setting impact only newly created and updated passwords. However, if the rehash-policy is set to always or only-increase, it causes the server to recalculate each user's password hash on their next authentication, and write the new hash to the user's entry on disk. Changing the number of iterations therefore leads to a short-term spike in CPU and disk use as the server updates each user's password when they next authenticate. Longer term, increasing this settings results in more secure passwords at the expense of longer response times and lower throughput. |
| *Default value*         | 12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Allowed values*        | An integer.Lower limit: 4.Upper limit: 30.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Required*              | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

### enabled

|                         |                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Indicates whether the Password Storage Scheme is enabled for use. |
| *Default value*         | None                                                              |
| *Allowed values*        | truefalse                                                         |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                |
| *Required*              | Yes                                                               |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                              |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                |

### rehash-policy

|                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Indicates whether the server should rehash passwords after the cost has been changed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Description*           | Passwords will be rehashed when a user successfully authenticates. Note that rehashing will increase the write load on the server.                                                                                                                                                                                |
| *Default value*         | never                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| *Allowed values*        | * always: Rehash passwords when the cost is increased or decreased.

* never: Never rehash passwords when the cost changes. Only rehash passwords when the password is modified.

* only-increase: Only rehash passwords when the cost has been increased (do not downgrade the security of the hashed password). |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| *Required*              | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| *Advanced*              | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

## Advanced properties

Use the `--advanced` option to access advanced properties.

### java-class

|                         |                                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *Synopsis*              | Specifies the fully-qualified name of the Java class that provides the Bcrypt Password Storage Scheme implementation. |
| *Default value*         | org.opends.server.extensions.BcryptPasswordStorageScheme                                                              |
| *Allowed values*        | A Java class that extends or implements:- org.opends.server.api.PasswordStorageScheme                                 |
| *Multi-valued*          | No                                                                                                                    |
| *Required*              | Yes                                                                                                                   |
| *Admin action required* | None                                                                                                                  |
| *Advanced*              | Yes                                                                                                                   |
| *Read-only*             | No                                                                                                                    |
