diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 472dd06..aebc8a2 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
                 mainapp.cpp
 
 phosphor_user_manager_LDFLAGS = $(SDBUSPLUS_LIBS) \
-                                $(PHOSPHOR_DBUS_INTERFACES_LIBS)
+                                $(PHOSPHOR_DBUS_INTERFACES_LIBS) \
+                                -lcrypt \
+                                -lstdc++fs
 
 phosphor_user_manager_CXXFLAGS = $(SYSTEMD_CFLAGS) \
                                  $(PHOSPHOR_DBUS_INTERFACES_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/user.cpp b/user.cpp
index 0a6727b..f4b0e5e 100644
--- a/user.cpp
+++ b/user.cpp
@@ -13,16 +13,70 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
+#include <cstring>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <shadow.h>
+#include <array>
 #include "user.hpp"
 namespace phosphor
 {
 namespace user
 {
 
+// Sets or updates the password
 void User::setPassword(std::string newPassword)
 {
+    // Needed by getspnam_r
+    struct spwd shdp;
+    struct spwd* pshdp;
+
+    // This should be fine even if SHA512 is used.
+    std::array<char,1024> buffer{};
+
+    // 1: Read /etc/shadow for the user
+    auto r = getspnam_r(user.c_str(), &shdp, buffer.data(),
+                        buffer.max_size(), &pshdp);
+    if (r < 0)
+    {
+        return;
+        // TODO: Throw an error
+    }
+
+    // Done reading
+    endspent();
+
+    // 2: Parse and get crypt algo
+    auto cryptAlgo = getCryptField(shdp.sp_pwdp);
+    if (cryptAlgo.empty())
+    {
+        // TODO: Throw error getting crypt field
+    }
+
+    // TODO: Update the password in next commit
     return;
 }
 
+// Extract crypto algorithm field
+CryptAlgo User::getCryptField(char* spPwdp)
+{
+    char* savePtr{};
+    return strtok_r(spPwdp, "$", &savePtr);
+}
+
+// Returns specific format of salt string
+std::string User::getSaltString(const std::string& crypt,
+                                const std::string& salt)
+{
+    return '$' + crypt + '$' + salt + '$';
+}
+
+// Given a password and salt, generates hash
+std::string User::generateHash(const std::string& password,
+                               const std::string& salt)
+{
+    return crypt(password.c_str(), salt.c_str());
+}
+
 } // namespace user
 } // namespace phosphor
diff --git a/user.hpp b/user.hpp
index 25c7e62..aa40820 100644
--- a/user.hpp
+++ b/user.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include <string>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <experimental/filesystem>
 #include <sdbusplus/bus.hpp>
 #include <sdbusplus/server/object.hpp>
 #include <xyz/openbmc_project/User/Password/server.hpp>
@@ -9,6 +10,9 @@
 namespace user
 {
 
+using CryptAlgo = std::string;
+
+namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
 namespace Base = sdbusplus::xyz::openbmc_project::User::server;
 using Interface = sdbusplus::server::object::object<Base::Password>;
 
@@ -35,7 +39,8 @@
         User(sdbusplus::bus::bus& bus, const char* path)
             : Interface(bus, path),
               bus(bus),
-              path(path)
+              path(path),
+              user(fs::path(path).filename())
         {
             // Do nothing
         }
@@ -56,6 +61,34 @@
 
         /** @brief object path */
         const std::string& path;
+
+        /** @brief User id extracted from object path */
+        const std::string user;
+
+        /** @brief Extracts crypto number from the shadow entry for user
+         *
+         *  @param[in] spPwdp - sp_pwdp of struct spwd
+         */
+        static CryptAlgo getCryptField(char* spPwdp);
+
+        /** @brief Generates one-way hash based on salt and password
+         *
+         *  @param[in] password - clear text password
+         *  @param[in] salt     - Combination of crypto method and salt
+         *                        Eg: $1$HELLO$, where in 1 is crypto method
+         *                        and HELLO is salt
+         */
+        static std::string generateHash(const std::string& password,
+                                        const std::string& salt);
+
+        /** @brief returns salt string with $ delimiter.
+         *         Eg: If crypt is 1 and salt is HELLO, returns $1$HELLO$
+         *
+         *  @param[in] crypt - Crypt number in string
+         *  @param[in] salt  - salt
+         */
+        static std::string getSaltString(const std::string& crypt,
+                                         const std::string& salt);
 };
 
 } // namespace user