Hashing is a process that transforms your data into a random fixed-length value, using a hash
function. For example, a piece of plain text (a password, for example) can be turned into a
hashed value, making it very hard to decipher.

Hashing is a one-way process that can’t be directly reversed (as opposed to encryption, which
can be decrypted if you have the appropriate decryption key). When companies store user data
(usernames and passwords, let’s say), they can apply hashing algorithms to ensure that the
information stays private, even if they suffer a data breach.

Moreover, hashing ensures the integrity of data. When you send a hashed file to a friend, you
provide a hashed value along with the message. The friend then calculates the hash value — if
the values match, then the file hasn’t been tampered with while in transit.

Hashing is usually used to deal with large amounts of data. It is easy to find the hashed data
as well as avoid data duplication. Hashing is a fast, efficient way to keep huge troves of data
safe and ensure its integrity.

A secure hash algorithm generates hash values, also known as hash functions. The hashing
algorithms provide different hash values for different keys. So one unique input string should
have a unique hash value.

However, in rare cases, keys use identical hash values. This can result in what’s known as a
hash collision.

A defining feature of any hashing algorithm is how collision resistant its hash functions are.
Collision is a hash-function vulnerability that bad actors can potentially exploit, so a good
hashing algorithm should be complex enough to avoid collisions.

Similarly to encryption, hashing algorithms differ in their strength:

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Encryption is the process of encoding data using algorithms. Encryption protocols scramble the
data so it becomes undecipherable to anyone except the intended recipient, who has the necessary
key to reverse the decryption process. Unlike hashing, encryption is a two-way process —
information is encrypted and then decrypted when it reaches the intended receiver.

Encryption also secures sensitive data as well as general online traffic. It makes your internet
traffic unreadable to an unauthorized party — if strong cryptography algorithms are implemented
following best practices, they are resistant to cryptanalytic attacks. If you want to learn more
about encryption, check out our article on the{‘ ‘} best encryption software.

Encryption uses a specific set of rules and instructions, known as algorithms, to convert
original data, or plain text, into ciphertext — an encrypted form of data. You can use
encryption to turn text, messages, or files into ciphertext.

An encryption algorithm also uses a unique piece of information, called the encryption key. This
key determines how the plain text is transformed into ciphertext and vice versa. Encryption keys
can be either symmetric or asymmetric:

The ciphertext that you get after the encryption process is done looks like a meaningless jumble
of data, extremely difficult to decipher without a decryption key. But if you possess a proper
decryption key, you can transform the ciphertext back into plain text by applying specific
mathematical operations. Every encryption algorithm has a corresponding decryption algorithm
that reverses the encryption process using a decryption key and restores ciphertext back to the
original plain text.

There are several commonly used encryption algorithms. Here are the most widely applied ones: