php - How to output MD5 hashed password in plain text?

Question

I have passwords for members on a site encrypted using MD5 and stored in the database. I want to implement a lost password functionality where the user will be emailed their credentials if they forget them. But how to output the unencrypted password or is it one way encryption and hence impossible?

Answer 1

MD5 isn't encryption - it's a one-way hash. You can't reverse a one-way hash (theoretically you can find a plaintext that has an equivalent hash which is generally as good, but you can't in any reasonable amount of time), so you just need to set a new password and email it to them as a temporary, and/or just provide them a link to reset their password.