Online crypto hasher

Generate cryptographic hashes using various algorithms including SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512

What is cryptographic hashing?

Cryptographic hashing is a process that transforms input data of any size into a fixed-size string of characters, called a hash or digest. Hash functions are designed to be one-way functions, meaning it's computationally infeasible to reverse the process and obtain the original input from the hash.

Cryptographic hash functions have several important properties: they are deterministic (same input always produces the same hash), have avalanche effect (small input changes result in drastically different hashes), and are collision-resistant (it's extremely difficult to find two different inputs that produce the same hash).

Supported hash algorithms

  • SHA-1: Produces a 160-bit (20-byte) hash value. While still widely used, SHA-1 is considered cryptographically weak and should be avoided for security-critical applications.
  • SHA-256: Part of the SHA-2 family, produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash. Widely used and considered secure for most applications. Used in Bitcoin and many other blockchain technologies.
  • SHA-384: Part of the SHA-2 family, produces a 384-bit (48-byte) hash. Offers higher security than SHA-256 with longer hash output.
  • SHA-512: Part of the SHA-2 family, produces a 512-bit (64-byte) hash. Provides the highest security level among the supported algorithms.

Common use cases

Cryptographic hashes are used in many applications:

  • Data integrity verification: Ensuring files haven't been tampered with by comparing hash values before and after transmission or storage.
  • Password storage: Storing hashed passwords instead of plaintext to protect user credentials (typically combined with salting).
  • Digital signatures: Creating compact representations of documents for cryptographic signing.
  • Blockchain technology: Linking blocks and creating proof-of-work mechanisms in cryptocurrencies.
  • Checksums: Verifying data transmission accuracy and detecting corruption.

Security and privacy

This tool performs all hashing operations locally in your browser using the Web Crypto API. Your input data is never transmitted to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.