Individuals_Controller

def login
  if request.post?
    if session[:individual] = Individual.authenticate(params[:individual][:username], params[:individual][:password])
      flash[:message]  = "Login successful"
      redirect_to_stored
    else
      flash[:warning] = "Login unsuccessful"
    end
  end
end


Individuals Model

def self.encrypt(string, salt)
  return Digest::SHA1.hexdigest(string+salt)
end

def self.authenticate(username, pass)
  resultset=find(:first, :conditions=>["username = ?", username])
  return nil if resultset.nil?
  return resultset if Individual.encrypt(pass, resultset.created_on.to_s[0,19])==resultset.password
  nil
end