Applications of Cryptographic Hash Functions
Below are some applications of cryptography hash functions
Message Authentication
- Message authentication is a system or service that verifies the integrity of a communication.
- It ensures data is received precisely as transmitted, with no modifications, insertions, or deletions, a hash function is used for message authentication, and the value is sometimes referred to as a message digest.
- Message authentication often involves employing a message authentication code (MAC).
- MACs are widely used between two parties that share a secret key for authentication purposes. A MAC function uses a secret key and data block to generate a hash value, that identifies the protected communication.
Data Integrity Check
- Hash functions are most commonly used to create checksums for data files.
- This program offers the user with assurance that the data is correct.
- The integrity check allows the user to detect any modifications to the original file.
- It does not assure uniqueness. Instead of altering file data, the attacker can update the entire file, compute a new hash, and deliver it to the recipient.
Digital Signatures
- The digital signature application is comparable to message authentication.
- Digital signatures operate similarly to MACs.
- Digital signatures encrypt message hash values using a user’s private key.
- The digital signature may be verified by anybody who knows the user’s public key.
Cryptography Hash Functions
Hash functions in cryptography are extremely valuable and are found in practically every information security application. A hash function transforms one numerical input value into another compressed numerical value. It is also a process that turns plaintext data of any size into a unique ciphertext of a predetermined length.