When you set up a WordPress website, you create an administrator account that allows you to manage the website’s content, settings, and other features. This administrator account requires a password to log in, and the question arises as to where WordPress stores this password.
In WordPress, the administrator password is stored in the website’s database in an encrypted form. When you create an administrator account and set a password, WordPress takes the password you entered and applies a one-way encryption algorithm called “hashing” to it.
Hashing is a process of converting a password into a unique string of characters that cannot be reversed. This means that even if someone gains access to the database, they will not be able to read the password in plain text.
WordPress uses a strong hashing algorithm called bcrypt to encrypt the administrator password. The hashed password is then stored in the wp_users table of the database, along with other information about the administrator account.
When you log in to your WordPress website as an administrator, WordPress retrieves the hashed password from the database and applies the same hashing algorithm to the password you entered. If the hashed password you entered matches the hashed password stored in the database, WordPress will allow you to log in as an administrator.
It’s worth noting that because the administrator password is stored in an encrypted form, it’s not possible to retrieve it in plain text. If you forget your administrator password, you can use WordPress’s built-in password recovery feature to reset your password.
In summary, the WordPress administrator password is stored in an encrypted form in the website’s database using a strong hashing algorithm called bcrypt. This ensures that the password cannot be read in plain text even if someone gains access to the database. When you log in as an administrator, WordPress retrieves the hashed password from the database and applies the same hashing algorithm to the password you entered to authenticate you.