Hashing Flashcards
What is a hashing function?
Provides a mapping between an arbitrary length input and a usually fixed length fixed length or smaller output.
Difference between hashing and encryption?
It is one-way; you can’t get back to the original.
What are hashing functions used for and how?
Storing encrypted PIN’s and passwords, so they can’t be read by a hacker.
To verify an user’s password, the software applies the hash function to the user input and compares it with the one stored.
What is a hash total (checksum/digest)?
A mathematical value calculated from unencrypted message data.
How do cryptographic hash functions work?
The process is irreversible and impossible to crack other than by trying all of the possible inputs until a match is found.
Since the hash total is generated from the entire message, even the slightest change in the message will produce a different total.
