The world of data verification and storage is growing at an unprecedented pace. Applications and solutions that use Blockchain technology continue to gain momentum, while other proprietary databases are also being developed and introduced to the public daily. We have all heard about hash codes and their importance in computer science.
A hash code is a digital fingerprint of an input data set, where the code is used to verify or identify the original document at a later time. A hash value is usually produced by applying a hashing function to an input value.
A hash is a mathematical formula that serves as a unique fingerprint for any given piece of data – essentially, it’s a shortened version of the file. A hash will always output the same value when given specific data; this means that if we change even one character in our original document, the hash will not match.
If you’ve heard about Blockchain technology and its potential applications in different industries, from finance to healthcare, you might have come across the terms “hash” and “hash values” fairly often. But what exactly do those words mean, and how are they related to Blockchain?
Let’s find out!
In today’s article, we’ll discuss a Blockchain hash, its use, and its role in Blockchain technology.
What is a Blockchain Hash?
A Blockchain hash is a digitized fingerprint of a document or set of data. It is used to verify whether or not that information has been tampered with or changed in any way.
A Blockchain hash is generated via a cryptographic function that compares an input block of data with a previously generated hash value. If the generated hash value matches the given data, it is determined that the input information hasn’t been altered.
How does Blockchain Hash work?
A Blockchain hash is used to verify whether or not the data contained in a document has been interfered with. A Blockchain hash is created when a new block of information or data is added to the chain.
The information contained in the block is hashed, and then the hash value is further added to the end of the chain. Any time the data contained in the block is altered or changed in any way, the hash value will also change.
If the hash value doesn’t match the original data, it is determined that the information has been tampered with. If the hash value matches the original data, it is verified that the information has not been changed or tampered with.
The Blockchain is a chain of blocks of information that are verified and linked together chronologically using hash values. Each block is similar to a page in a book, and each page is verified using a hash value.
Types of Hash
There are many different hashing algorithms used to create a hash value. Here are some examples of hashes and how they are used in Blockchain technology.
- SHA-256: SHA-256 is one of the most commonly used hashing algorithms in Blockchain technology. It is used to verify whether or not the data contained in a block has been tampered with. SHA-256 is used in the creation of a private and public key pair.
- MD5: MD5 is used to verify and validate the integrity of a file or data set. It creates a hash value that is 32 characters long. MD5 is used in the creation of a private and public key pair. An MD5 hash function converts a string of information into a 128-bit fingerprint. MD5 is frequently used as a checksum to ensure data integrity in the Blockchain. However, due to its age, MD5 suffer from extensive hash collision weaknesses, despite remaining one of the world’s most widely used algorithms.
- RIPEMD-160: RIPEMD-160 is also used to verify and validate the integrity of a file or data set. It creates a hash value that is 20 characters long. RIPEMD-160 is used in the creation of a private and public key pair.
- CRC32 – A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is an error-detecting code that is frequently used to detect accidental data changes. Because CRC32 always produces the same hash output when encoding the same data string, it is sometimes used as a hash algorithm for file integrity checks.
- Tiger Algorithm: The Tiger algorithm is faster and more efficient than the MD5 and SHA families. It has a 192-bit hashing mechanism and is commonly utilized in modern systems. Tiger2 of the Tiger Algorithm is a more advanced version of this algorithm that is more dynamic than Tiger. Tiger was created using the virtually universal Merkle-Damgrd paradigm. The oneway compression function operates on 64-bit words, allowing for three words of state and eight words of information to be processed. There are 24 rounds, each with its own set of operations such as XOR and addition/subtraction, rotations, and S-box lookups, as well as a pretty complex key scheduling mechanism for changing the 24 round keys from the 8 input words.
Which Hash is used in Blockchain
The hash that is used in blockchain technology is not one specific hash function; it’s a combination of different hash functions. In fact, many different types of hashes are used in Blockchain technology.
The reason for this is that different hash functions have different properties, and they are, therefore, better suited for certain tasks. If we use only one hash function, the weaknesses of that function might allow the content to be altered without being detected.
So, using different hash functions makes it much more difficult to alter the content without being detected. Blockchain technology is a distributed network, which means that every node on the network has a copy of the Blockchain.
In order to change or alter the data in the Blockchain, a hacker would have to breach and change all copies of the Blockchain in the network.
This is practically impossible, which is why Blockchain technology is so secure and safe. As we’ve just discussed, the security of Blockchain technology is largely dependent on the use of cryptographic hash functions. However, the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) 256 is mostly used.
- Secure Hash Algorithm: SHA-256
SHA-256 is a hash function used to verify the authenticity of files and protect against tampering. It was designed in 1997 by the National Security Agency (NSA) and is now used in many industries and sectors, including finance and healthcare.
SHA-256 is a 512-bit hash function that can be used to validate and verify any type and size of the file. It’s seen to be one of the most secure hash functions that are currently available. The only problem with SHA-256 is that it’s slow.
It can be used to verify large files, but it’s not very efficient. This is one of the reasons why other hash functions, such as Whirlpool, are sometimes used alongside SHA-256.
What is Hash used for in Blockchain?
A Blockchain hash is used to verify whether or not the data contained in a block has been tampered with. The data includes information about the sender and receiver of a transaction and the amount of the transaction.
The hash value will change once the data contained in the block is altered or changed in any way.
You know that the information has been tampered with if the hash value doesn’t match the original data. A Blockchain hash is used to verify whether or not the data has been changed or altered in any way.
Proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrency mining employs hashing of randomly generated integers to arrive at a certain hashed value comprising a series of leading zeroes. This random function consumes a lot of resources, making it hard for a bad actor to take over the network.
Some other uses of Hash in Blockchain include;
- Better data security
A Blockchain hash is used to verify and confirm the authenticity of data in real time. This data authenticity verification is done without additional hardware or software and is extremely efficient at what it does.
A Blockchain hash is used to create a digital fingerprint of the data, and then the hash value is used to verify the authenticity of the original data. If the data has been altered in any way, the hash value won’t match the original data.
A Blockchain hash is a more efficient and effective method of verifying data authenticity than hardware-based authentication systems such as virtual tokens and two-factor authentication (2FA) systems. Because Blockchain hashes are completely digital, the process is more efficient and faster and doesn’t require additional hardware or software.
- Easier comparability
Blockchain hash is used to compare two files and verify if they are different by looking at their hash value. This makes verifying a file after it has been moved to another location easier.
- Easier verification
Blockchain hash verifies the integrity of data transferred from one place to another. Hashing makes this verification process faster and easier. This will verify if the data being transferred has been altered in any way.
- Ability to control speed
Blockchain Hash controls the speed of retrieving data being transferred. Hashing balances this speed depending on the size of the data. This makes searching for lists and arrays faster.
Use cases of Blockchain Hashing
The following are use cases of Blockchain hashing.
- Data extraction & retrieval
Hashing converts object data into a useful integer value by using algorithms or functions. Once these items are located on such an object data map, queries can be filtered using a hash.
For example, developers or miners use hash tables to store data such as customer records and transactions as key and value pairs. Hash codes are then converted to integers of a specific size, whereas keys are used to identify data and are fed into the hash function.
- Digital signatures
Hashing aids in the encryption and decryption of digital signatures, which are used to verify message senders and recipients and allow quick data retrieval. In this case, a hash function is used before the hashed value or message digest to change the digital signature, and the signature is sent separately to the recipient.
When a message is received, the same hash function creates the message digest using the signature, which is then compared to the message digest that was transmitted to ensure they are identical. The hash function indexes the initial value or key and makes data linked to a specific value or key obtained in a one-way hashing operation accessible.
What are the benefits of hashing?
One common application of hashing is to check the equality of two files. Without having to open two document files and compare them word for word, the calculated hash values of these files will tell the owner right away if they are different.
Hashing is also used to validate the integrity of a file after it has been transferred from one location to another, most commonly in a file backup program such as SyncBack. A user can compare the hash values of both files to ensure that the transferred file is not corrupted. If they are the same, the transferred file is a duplicate.
An encrypted file may sometimes be configured never to change the file size or the latest update date and time (for example, virtual drive container files). In such instances, it would be impossible to discern if two similar files are distinct or not at first glance, but the hash values would easily distinguish these files apart if they are.
Conclusion
In its simplest form, a hash is an identifier for data. It is a fixed-length string of characters uniquely identifying another piece of data or file—in this case, one stored on the Blockchain.
A hash code is a digital fingerprint of an input data set, where the code is used to verify or identify the original document at a later time. Implementing hashes into your Blockchain project gives you numerous benefits. They are useful for verifying file integrity, establishing trust between nodes and users, and enabling more private data storage.
Hashes are essential in any type of encryption process as they generate small and unique identifiers from input files or data streams to keep sensitive information secure.
See you soon,
Scaling Parrots
