Cryptographic hash function

Hashing is a one-directional mathematical operation which is quick to calculate, yet hard to reverse. So password storage and digital signatures benefit from hashes. Even a small change in the input results in a very different hash.

So it is useful to check if two copies of data or software match.
Typically the operation works on a block of input data; the hash output is then hashed with the next block, creating a new hash reflecting everything to that point; again and again until the final hash reflects everything through the final block.

Back to Passwords & Encryption →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

ANTIVIRUSDON

Antivirus reviews, security guides, and the tools that keep you safe online.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every species, image, fact, and figure is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.