Hash Functions
Definition
Hash functions are mathematical algorithms that take an input (or message) and produce a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a hash value or hash code. The output is unique to the input, meaning even a small change in the input will result in a significantly different hash value.
Analogy
Think of a blender that takes various ingredients and blends them into a smoothie. In this analogy, the ingredients represent the input, and the smoothie represents the hash value. No matter how many times you blend the same set of ingredients, you'll always get the same smoothie.
Related terms
Collision: When two different inputs produce the same hash value. It's like having two different recipes that somehow end up tasting exactly the same.
Rainbow Table: A precomputed table used to reverse-engineer hashed values back to their original inputs. It's like having a cheat sheet with all possible combinations for unlocking a secret code.
Salting: Adding random data to an input before hashing it to make it more secure. It's like adding extra spices to your recipe to make it unique and harder for others to replicate.
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