{"id":30110,"date":"2024-11-12T12:39:27","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T12:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/en\/blog\/wiki\/hashing\/"},"modified":"2025-02-26T12:48:22","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T12:48:22","slug":"Hashing","status":"publish","type":"wiki","link":"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/en\/wiki\/Hashing","title":{"rendered":"Hashing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hashing definition<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hashing is the process of creating a digital signature for a document or string of text. This signature is called a hash and can be used by the receiving party to verify that a form, data, or line of text is unchanged.\n<\/p>\n

Hashing can be used to check whether important documents, including software files and legal documents, are unedited and come from the right source. Hashing is also commonly used for storing passwords, although other supporting methods are widely used alongside it to improve security.\n<\/p>\n

\"Hashing\"\n<\/p>\n

An example of the hash created by the MD5 hashing function when \u201cpassword123\u201d is inserted on MiracleSalad<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

How hashing works<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hashing works by turning written data into a seemingly random string of characters. It uses a hashing function, which is a type of algorithm that follows set rules for altering the original characters into a unique hash value that\u2019s very different from the original.\n<\/p>\n

The string of characters generated through hashing is called a signature, value, or hash. It should be unique and should change completely if any minor edits are made to the original text.\n<\/p>\n

What is hashing used for?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Hashing is commonly used for verification, including the verification of documents, data, and files. By checking the hash of downloaded files, a user can be sure that the file is unedited and came from the original publisher. This helps prevent the spread of malware and prevents security issues.\n<\/p>\n

Hashing is also used for storing passwords. Instead of storing the actual password, the hash value is stored on the backend. If a hacker gets access to the database, they only have access to the hash and not the actual passwords.\n<\/p>\n

While hashing does help improve password security, other supporting steps are required to ensure the security of passwords.\n<\/p>\n

Hashing best practices<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are a number of best practices that are important to follow when hashing, a few of which are listed below:\n<\/p>\n