Eli5:what is Hash value?
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A hash is a cryptographic function (algorithm) that you run a file through. The resulting hash value is a constant size (usually much smaller than the original file, but it doesn’t have to be). It is also semi-unique…there’s a very low probability that the hash of another file would result in the same value. It is also impossible to directly reverse, because most of the information from the original is lost.
In essence, it’s a way to create a signature of a file.
A hash has several uses. One is that you can store the hash of a password, and allow the system to authenticate someone providing that password even though the system doesn’t “know” what the original password is. The user inputs the password and it is run through the same hash function, and the result is compared to the stored hash value. If it matches, then the password is correct.
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