Can’t the steps be reversed one by one to get back the original?
In: Mathematics
Let me give you analogy using addition as an example. 4+6=10. That is, the inputs were 4 and 6 and output was 10. But so is the case for 5+5 and 9+1 and so on.
The sha256 you see is similar to that 10. Once you have 10, you can never tell what two numbers added up to give you 10.
Hence all hashing algorithms are one way functions.
When we say hash is reversed, all it means an input has been found that when hashed results into the same hash you got with original input.
In above example, if 10 was obtained using 4+6, a hash is broken with all those combinations that sums up to 10. Hence, hashing algorithms are designed in such a way that probability of getting these hash collisions are very low.
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