SHA-1 vs SHA-2 vs SHA-256 vs SHA-512 Hashing Algorithms

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When you first learn about Secure Hash Algorithms (SHA), you might feel like you're deciphering alien code. In fact, it's not as complicated as it seems. You've probably heard of SHA-1, SHA-2, SHA-256, and SHA-512, but do you understand the differences between them and how they affect the security of your data?

These cryptographic hash functions play an important role in ensuring the integrity and authentication of data. However, they are not all the same. Some provide better security, while others are faster.

This blog covers the SHA-1 and SHA-256 algorithms , and everything in between. Let's dive into the core components of web security and see how they work.

Table of contents

What is SHA?
How does SHA work?
Different versions of SHA
SHA-1 vs SHA-2 vs SHA-256 vs SHA-512
What is SHA?
SHA is an acronym for Secure Hash Algorithm , a family of cryptographic hash functions developed by the National Security Agency (NSA). This cryptographic hash function plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity and security of digital data.

The purpose of SHA is to create a unique identifier, called a hash, for any piece of digital information. This hash is like a digital fingerprint, ensuring that even a slight change to the original information will result in a completely different hash.

A classic example is your passwords. When you create mobile app development service an account on a website, the website does not store your password. Instead, it uses SHA to convert your password into a hash. The hash is stored in the database. So, even if someone gains access to the database, they will not see your real password, but its hashed form.

Let's say your email password is "likeflowers". This is what it would look like hashed:






This long string of characters is the SHA-256 hash of your password. If you changed even one letter in your password, the resulting hash would be completely different.

How does SHA work?
SHA works on a principle known as the avalanche effect, where even the smallest changes in information result in a large and unpredictable change in the hash. This property makes it virtually impossible for two different outputs to produce the same hash.

Designed to resist a variety of cryptographic attacks, SHA prevents collision attacks, where two different outputs generate the same hash. This robustness is essential for applications such as digital signatures, SSL certificates , and data authentication.

There are different versions of SHA, such as SHA-1, SHA-256 , and SHA-512, each of which produces hash values ​​of different lengths and has different security characteristics. Let's take a closer look at them.

Different versions of SHA
The development of various versions of SHA is driven by the cryptographic community's ongoing efforts to stay ahead of emerging threats. As technology advances and new vulnerabilities emerge, improving hash functions becomes necessary to maintain the security of digital systems.

Each version aims to address shortcomings identified in its predecessors and adapt to changing cryptographic requirements. If you want to know the difference between SHA-1 and SHA-256, for example, understanding what each version of SHA does is a starting point.