Password Encryption: Rationale and Java Example 

Most of the web sites today have some sort of a registration module where a user is asked to choose a username/password combination. This data gets stored in the database. You might wonder if the password you provide will be kept well-protected (read encrypted). In case you are the person designing such backend registration component, why not give your users peace of mind by encrypting their passwords?

Shvarts, James. evolt (2005). Articles>Web Design>Security