currentPassword

CurrentPassword is a variable name used in computer software to hold the password a user has provided or is using in an authentication or password-management operation. It is commonly seen in user interface code, server-side validation, and API clients as a placeholder for the plaintext password before it is verified or transformed. In many systems, the workflow requires the user to enter their current password to perform sensitive actions, such as changing the password, updating account details, or recovering access. The code often passes currentPassword to a verification routine, encodes or hashes it, and compares it to the stored credential without revealing its value.

In user interfaces, forms may label the input as "Current password" and prompt the user to re-enter it for confirmation in certain workflows. In APIs, a field named currentPassword may be sent in the request body or headers, though secure transmission (HTTPS) is essential. Best-practice design uses currentPassword only transiently, avoiding persistence or logging, and uses a secure, server-side verification against a stored credential hash.

Security considerations: handling currentPassword requires minimizing exposure, using proper input controls, and avoiding in-memory copies or serialization beyond what is necessary. Passwords should be stored only as salted hashes with strong algorithms, and verification should use a constant-time comparison to resist timing attacks. Treat all occurrences as highly sensitive data and implement proper access controls around authentication routines.

See also: password hashing, authentication, password reset, secure coding practices.