Secure password storage requires using modern hashing algorithms like bcrypt (intentionally slow to prevent brute-force attacks) combined with unique salts for each password. Salts ensure identical passwords produce different hashes, defeating rainbow table attacks. During registration, passwords are salted and hashed before storage. During login, the stored salt is retrieved, applied to the submitted password, and the resulting hash is compared. Additional security measures include rate limiting, account lockout, adaptive hash parameters, and optional pepper keys stored outside the database.