SHA256 Encrypt
Text to hash (SHA-256):
SHA-256 Hash:
About SHA-256 Hashing
How to use:
- Enter your text in the input textarea
- Click the "Generate SHA-256 Hash" button
- Your SHA-256 hash will appear in the output area
- Click the "Copy" button to copy the hash to your clipboard
SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit) is a cryptographic hash function that takes an input and produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value. This hash is typically rendered as a 64-digit hexadecimal number.
Key characteristics of SHA-256:
- Always produces a fixed-size output (256 bits)
- Same input always yields the same hash
- Small changes in input result in vastly different hashes
- One-way function (cannot derive original input from hash)
- Designed to be collision-resistant
Security Note: SHA-256 is currently considered secure for most cryptographic purposes and is widely used in security applications and protocols.
- Digital Signatures: Used in SSL/TLS certificates and digital signature algorithms
- Blockchain Technology: Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies use SHA-256 for mining and transaction verification
- File Integrity: Verifying that files or messages haven't been altered
- Password Storage: Securely storing password hashes (with proper salting)
Example SHA-256 hash:
Text: Hello World!
SHA-256: 7f83b1657ff1fc53b92dc18148a1d65dfc2d4b1fa3d677284addd200126d9069
Advantage of SHA-256 over older hash functions:
SHA-256 is part of the SHA-2 family designed by the NSA, offering significantly improved security over SHA-1. With a 256-bit output, it provides stronger protection against collision attacks and is the current industry standard for many security-critical applications. Unlike SHA-1, which has been broken, SHA-256 remains secure against known cryptographic attacks.