SHA-256 Hash Generator
Generate a SHA-256 hash from any text or file input
What is a SHA-256 hash?
SHA-256 is a member of the SHA-2 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2) family of cryptographic hash functions. It produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value, typically rendered as a 64-digit hexadecimal number. SHA-256 was designed by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001.
SHA-256 is widely used for data integrity verification, digital signatures, password storage, blockchain technology, and many other security applications. It's considered highly secure and resistant to collision attacks, making it suitable for security-critical applications.
Security Strength
SHA-256 is currently considered cryptographically strong and is widely used in security applications. Unlike its predecessor SHA-1, no practical attacks have been demonstrated against SHA-256, making it a recommended choice for security-sensitive applications.
Common Uses of SHA-256
- Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies use SHA-256 in their proof-of-work algorithms
- SSL/TLS certificates for secure website connections
- Digital signatures to verify document authenticity
- Password hashing (with proper salting and key stretching)
- File integrity verification
- Software distribution to verify downloads haven't been tampered with
SHA-256 provides a good balance between security and performance, making it suitable for a wide range of applications where data integrity and authentication are important.