Hashing Algorithms

Hashing algorithms convert data of any size into a fixed-length string of characters, acting as a digital fingerprint for that data.

How Hashing Works

A hashing function takes an input and produces a fixed-length output called a hash or digest. Unlike encryption, hashing is a one-way process, meaning the original data cannot be recovered from the hash.

Common Hashing Algorithms

MD5 and SHA-1 are older algorithms now considered insecure due to collision vulnerabilities. SHA-256 and SHA-3 are current industry standards, offering strong resistance against collisions and pre-image attacks.

Hashing vs Encryption

Encryption is reversible with the right key, while hashing is designed to be irreversible. This makes hashing ideal for verifying data integrity and storing passwords, since the original value never needs to be recovered.

Password Storage and Salting

Storing passwords as plain hashes is still vulnerable to precomputed rainbow table attacks. Adding a unique random salt to each password before hashing, along with algorithms like bcrypt or Argon2, significantly strengthens password security.