Cryptographic hash functions¶

Cryptographic hash functions are a fundamental class of algorithms used in computer security to map data of arbitrary size to fixed-size values.^[400-devops__02-OS-and-Linux-Basics__ssl__openssl__openssl.md] A defining characteristic of these functions is the avalanche effect, where a minimal change in the input data results in a significantly different output value, ensuring that two similar inputs do not produce similar hashes.^[400-devops__02-OS-and-Linux-Basics__ssl__openssl__openssl.md]

Because these functions are deterministic, the same input will always yield the same output.^[400-devops__02-OS-and-Linux-Basics__ssl__openssl__openssl.md] This allows systems to verify data integrity or efficiently compare large data sets by comparing their hash values rather than the content itself.

Common Algorithms¶

Numerous cryptographic hash algorithms have been standardized and are widely supported by security libraries like OpenSSL. Common examples include the MD family (MD2, MD4, MD5), the SHA family (SHA-1, SHA-2, SHA-3), and other algorithms such as RIPEMD-160, BLAKE2, Whirlpool, MDC-2, and SM3.^[400-devops__02-OS-and-Linux-Basics__ssl__openssl__openssl.md]

Related Concepts¶

• SSL/TLS
• OpenSSL
• [[Encryption]]

Sources¶

^[400-devops__02-OS-and-Linux-Basics__ssl__openssl__openssl.md]