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I think the OP meant "hash them" with something like bcrypt.

Which raises the question: should you follow web application advice regarding security from someone who mistakenly uses the word "Encrypt" when they (actually or unintentially) mean "Hash?"

It's an easy slip of the tongue, either if you don't know very much, or if you've spent too much time reading how the bcrypt hash works internally - https://www.usenix.org/legacy/events/usenix99/provos/provos_...

Yeah, yeah, I think I would. Someone's credibility as a programmer isn't destroyed in my mind because they say encrypt to describe hashing, especially if they are in fact, hashing and not encrypting and understand why.

This is something I've seen a lot of developers act elitist about, and it's always rubbed me the wrong way.

It's the same in everything. I'd say passwords are "encrypted" in my systems (even though they're salted/hashed).

It's like the gun nuts that flip out when someone calls it an assault rifle or a clip instead of a magazine.

What can you do, people like showing off how "smart" they are.

Technical jargon is a precise language because it communicates precise concepts. People who do not use it correctly likely have serious misapprehensions and their advice is automatically suspect. Excusing the misuse helps no one.

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