For developers and website owners, forgetting a WordPress admin password is a common situation. A quick Google search usually points to logging in through the database using cPanel / Hosting Panel → phpMyAdmin, where the password can be reset by updating it with an MD5 hash.
This approach leads to two commonly misunderstood conclusions:
Changing WordPress passwords is easy
WordPress passwords are stored as MD5
The first is true. The second is only partially correct.
In reality, WordPress does not rely solely on MD5 for password security.
How WordPress Actually Stores Passwords
Since WordPress 2.5, WordPress has used the phpass (Portable PHP Password Hashing Framework) library to hash user passwords.
phpass primarily uses:
Iterated MD5 hashing
A portable fallback mechanism for older PHP versions
This design decision ensured backward compatibility with legacy PHP environments but also introduced security limitations by today’s standards. As a result, phpass hashes are now considered weak compared to modern hashing algorithms.
This becomes a critical issue when:
Migrating users from WordPress to Laravel
Integrating WordPress authentication with a Laravel application
Importing WordPress users into a custom system
In such cases, user passwords stored in the WordPress database are phpass-based and cannot be used directly with Laravel’s authentication system.
Why Laravel Password Hashing Is More Secure
Laravel takes a modern security-first approach.
Minimum supported PHP version: 5.6+
Default hashing algorithm: bcrypt
bcrypt is natively supported in PHP 5.5 and above
Compared to phpass, bcrypt offers:
Adaptive hashing (configurable cost factor)
Built-in protection against brute-force attacks
Strong resistance to rainbow table attacks
Industry-standard security compliance
This means Laravel cannot authenticate WordPress users out of the box if their passwords are still stored using phpass.
The Core Challenge: WordPress to Laravel Password Migration
When migrating users, you have two practical options:
Option 1: Force Password Reset in WordPress
You can upgrade WordPress to a newer PHP version and force users to reset their passwords so they are rehashed using bcrypt-compatible plugins.
However, this approach often fails in real-world scenarios because:
Not all users log in again
Legacy accounts remain untouched
Forced resets hurt user experience
Option 2 (Recommended): Convert Passwords During Login
A safer and more user-friendly approach is to validate phpass passwords during login and convert them to bcrypt automatically.
This is the method we use at The Right Software.
Converting WordPress Passwords to Laravel Using a Package
We use the open-source package:
mikemclin/laravel-wp-password
This package allows Laravel to verify WordPress phpass hashes and seamlessly upgrade them to bcrypt after a successful login.
Installation
Install the package via Composer:
composer require mikemclin/laravel-wp-password
Laravel Login Logic for WordPress Passwords
Below is a simple example of how to validate a WordPress password during login and then update it to bcrypt.
// User input
$post_login = $request->input('post_login');
$post_password = $request->input('post_password');
// Stored WordPress hashed password
$wp_hashed_password = $user->password;
if (WpPassword::check($post_password, $wp_hashed_password)) {
// Login successful
// Upgrade password to bcrypt
$user->password = bcrypt($post_password);
$user->save();
// Continue login process
} else {
// Login failed
return back()->withErrors(['Invalid credentials']);
}
What This Code Does
Verifies the WordPress phpass password
Authenticates the user successfully
Converts and saves the password using bcrypt
Ensures faster and more secure logins in the future
Cleanup After Migration
Once most users have logged in and their passwords are upgraded:
Remove the WordPress password validation logic
Switch fully to Laravel’s default authentication
Schedule a reminder or task in your project management tool to clean up this migration code
This ensures long-term security and maintainability.
Why This Matters for Security
At The Right Software, we take website security seriously.
Proper password hashing is a foundational element of protecting user data, preventing breaches, and maintaining trust.
Migrating from WordPress to Laravel without addressing password hashing can expose your application to unnecessary risks. A phased, automatic upgrade strategy ensures zero friction for users and maximum security for your system.
