Overview of the main hash algorithms
Since a hash algorithm is a particular kind of mathematical function that produces a fixed output of bits starting from a variable input, it should be collision-free, which means that it will be difficult to produce two hash functions for the same input value, and vice versa.
There are many types of hash algorithms, but the most common and important ones are MD5, SHA-2, and CRC32, and in this chapter, we will focus on the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) family.
Finally, for your knowledge, there is RIPEMD-160, an algorithm developed by EU scientists in the early 1990s available in 160 bits and in other versions of 256 bits and 320 bits. This algorithm didn’t have the same success as the SHA family, but could be the right candidate for security as it has never been broken so far.
The SHA family, developed by the National Security Agency (NSA), is the object of study in this chapter. I will provide the necessary knowledge to understand...
