WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENCRYPTING AND HASHING?

Hashing and encryption are similar in that hashing refers to the permanent conversion of data into a message digest, whereas encryption may encode and decode data in two ways.

HASHING

Hashing is used to maintain the integrity of the data, while encryption is used to keep the data safe from third parties. They appear to be indistinguishable. Yet they are not. Hashing emphasizes the data’s integrity, whereas encryption emphasizes the data’s secrecy. Let’s take a look at both hashing and encryption to see how they work and what the differences are.

What defines hashing?

Hashing is the process of using a hash function to convert plain text or a key into a hashed value. Usually, the input length is longer than the output hash result. Hashing is a one-way encryption method in which a hash value cannot be decoded to reveal the original plain text. Hashing is a method of encrypting data that is transferred between two parties. PINs are safe even if a security compromise occurs since passwords are turned into hash values.

What Is Hashing and How Does It Work?

A collision occurs when two separate keys yield the same hash value. If you want hashing to operate properly, you need to change the hashing algorithm to ensure that there are no collisions. For alternate keys, the hashing algorithms generate distinct hash values. The following are some of the most important features of hashing:

One hash value should be assigned to each input string.

The hashing process should be irreversible.

A hash function has to be fast.

A little variation in the input should result in a different hash.

Some of the Most Popular Hashing Algorithms

The most commonly used hashing functions are as follows:

1) Message Synopsis (MD5)

Following the discovery of serious security flaws in MD4, MD5 was developed as a more sophisticated version of MD4. For a variable length of inputs, MD5 creates 128-bit outputs. It covered a lot of security issues as a successor to MD4, but it didn’t provide complete data security services. Despite its widespread use, the primary concerns with MD5 are its fragility and collisions.

2) Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA)

The National Security Agency was the first to create the Secure Hashing Algorithm (SHA). This algorithm was updated regularly to address security problems in the previous genre. Many companies are now using SHA-2 for cryptographic applications.

3) Tiger Algorithm

In comparison to the MD5 and SHA families, the Tiger cypher method is quicker and more efficient. It features a 192-bit hashing algorithm and is often seen in modern systems. Tiger 2 is a more sophisticated version of this method, which is much more powerful than Tiger.

4) Algorithm of Message Digest (MD4)

The Message Digest Algorithm (MD4) is a 128-bit digest cryptographic hash algorithm. Due to the initial collision attack discovered in 1995, MD4 has a security weakness. Following then, a couple of newer assaults impacted the hash function. In 1990, Ronald Rivest created MD4, which has affected the construction of the MD5, SHA-1, and RIPEMD algorithms.

5) RIPMEND

The RIPMEND cryptographic hashing method was created by Hans Dobbertin and features a 164-bit digest length. It is built on the RIPE framework, which is an EU initiative.

6) Algorithm WHIRLPOOL

The WHIRLPOOL algorithm was created by Vincent Rijmen and Paul Barreto, and it evaluates any message with a length of less than 2256 bits and returns a 512-bit message digest. The original version is known as Whirlpool-0, while the second is known as Whirlpool-T, and the most recent version is known as Whirlpool.

Hashing’s Purpose:

When comparing large amounts of data, hashing is required. Different hash values may be created for different types of data. You may also compare hashes.

It’s simple to preserve and discover hashed data records.

Cryptographic applications, such as digital signatures, can benefit from hashing.

Hashing may be used to generate random strings, which can assist in avoiding data duplication.

Geometric hashing is a computer graphics technique that aids in the detection of planar proximity concerns.

ENCRYPTION

Encryption is a term that refers to the process of encrypting data.

Encryption is the technique of protecting sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit cards, and financial information from hackers. Plain text refers to data that has not been encrypted, whereas cyphertext refers to data that has been encrypted. Hackers can simply read plain text, which they can use for harmful reasons. If the invaders are successful in intercepting this data, the cyphertext is a jumbled text that they will not be able to understand. Only the individual who has access to the security key or password to decrypt the data may read the scrambled data.

The Different Types of Encryption

The encryption is separated into two categories, as shown below.

1) Algorithms Modern Encryption

2) Cryptographic algorithms from the past

Algorithms Modern Encryption

a) Symmetric Encryption is a type of encryption that is both symmetric and asymmetric. The webserver and the user both use the same key to encrypt and decode the data in this sort of encryption. A number, a character string, or a word can be used as the key. To complete the encryption/decryption procedure, both the user and the webserver should have the same key.

b) Encryption that is asymmetric

A pair of keys is used in asymmetric encryption. A public key is one that is shared between the client and the website. The second key is the private key, which is kept secret by the website’s administrator. The public key is used to encrypt data received from the user/browser, while the private key is used to decode it. The information transferred between the browser and the website is therefore kept safe and secure.

c) Encryption in a Hybrid Mode

As the name implies, this is an encryption approach that takes advantage of both asymmetric and symmetric encryption’s efficacy to mitigate their flaws.

Historical encryption algorithms

Asymmetric encryption employs a pair of keys. A public key is one that the client and the website both have access to. The private key, which is kept hidden by the website’s administrator, is the second key. The public key encrypts data sent from the user/browser, while the private key decrypts it. As a result, the information sent between the browser and the website is kept safe and secure.

Using a Hybrid Model for Encryption

As the name suggests, this is an encryption method that uses the efficacy of both asymmetric and symmetric encryption to mitigate vulnerabilities in both.

Transposition Cyphers: Transposition Cyphers convert plain text into a regular pattern of cyphertext. In this type of cypher, alphabets in plain text are reassembled to create a cyphertext. A simple type is a columnar transposition cypher where each character in plain text is written horizontally, and the cyphertext is written vertically. For example, if you write hello world horizontally, it will look like as below and its output cyphertext will look as holewdlo lr.

Polyalphabetic Cyphers: A polyalphabetic cypher is one that uses a substitution mechanism to replace numerous alphabets with one another. In Polyalphabetic Cyphers, the Vigenere cypher is a prominent approach. Instead of using a numeric key, the polyalphabetic cypher employs an alphabet letter, such as A for key 0 and B for key 1, and so on.

Nomenclator Cyphers: A nomenclator cypher is a substitution cypher that uses specified symbols to transform plain text to cyphertext. A sheet of letters, syllables, a word substitution table, and symbols that are turned into numbers are used in this encryption. In the 15th century, the Nomenclator was employed for political correspondence and surveillance.

What is the Process of Encryption?

To encode or decode data, encryption employs a specific algorithm. Encryption algorithms, often known as cyphers, are classified as either symmetric or asymmetric.

Cypher Symmetric

The Symmetric Cypher encrypts and decrypts data using only one key. The user encrypts the data with the key and sends it to the webserver, who decodes it with the same key. So, even if they understand the underlying workings of encryption methods, no one can interpret this information without access to the key. The most widely used symmetric cyphers are Advanced Encryption Standard and Twofish.

Asymmetric Cypher

The information is scrambled and unscrambled using a pair of keys in an asymmetric cypher. The user and the webserver share a public key to form a session key, while the webserver keeps the private key hidden. The webserver uses the private key to decode the encoded information from the user. The asymmetric cypher is thus more secure than the symmetric cypher. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) and RSA are two of the most used asymmetric cyphers (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman).

Purpose of Encryption

The basic goal of encryption is to shield information from spying operations. Plain text data appears to be a soft target for cybercriminals, since they may readily access plain text data flowing between the client and the browser. When you encrypt a website, it implies that all data sent between the two ends is encrypted, and you don’t have to worry about prying eyes.

Confidentiality, robust authentication, limited access control, and data encryption are all aspects of encryption. It is difficult for a third party to intercept encrypted messages. Only those with a secret key may decipher it. If there is a breach, the perpetrator may be identified quickly, and the problem can be resolved quickly. The certificate authority also verifies the information provided when applying for an SSL certificate.

The following are some encryption algorithms:

1. Advanced Encryption Standard

AES is a symmetric encryption that can encode up to 128 bits of data at a time. The key that is used to decrypt the data might be 128-bit, 192-bit, or 256-bit in length. The information is cyphered in 10 rounds with the 128-bit key, 12 steps with the 192-bit key, and 14 stages with the 256-bit key. Over the last few years, AES has been shown to be extremely efficient and dependable. Many businesses employ this encryption technology for both stored data and information being exchanged between two connecting parties.

2. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman

Rivest-Shamir-Adleman is the second of the Rivest-Shamir-Adleman trio. RSA is an asymmetric cypher technique. It uses two keys to encrypt and decode data sent between a user and a web server. The RSA algorithm works by multiplying two big prime integers together. Because of the numerous weaknesses that have been exposed by hackers, RSA is a weak algorithm. When a large quantity of data needs to be encrypted or decrypted, this technique takes longer.

3. Triple Data Encryption Standard

The Triple Data Encryption Standard is a security standard that encrypts data three times. The symmetric encryption algorithm DES is replaced by Triple DES. It employs a 56-bit key data to encrypt the blocks and improves on the DES encryption method. Every information set is encrypted three times using the DES algorithm.

Difference Between Hashing and Encryption

Here’s a rundown of the differences between hashing and encryption:

Encryption is a two-way process in which data is encoded and decoded using matching keys (s). Hashing is a one-way encryption technique, which implies that obtaining the plain text from the hash value is impossible.

The resulting encrypted string in encryption has a variable length, but the hash value in hashing is a fixed length.

The goal of encryption is to safeguard the data’s secrecy, whereas the goal of hashing is to protect the data’s integrity.

By employing the proper decoding key, the original information transmitted between the two communicating parties may be obtained. But hashing methods are made efficient so that the hash value stays irreversible.

To keep data safe from cybercriminals, encryption and hashing methods are utilized. However, in every given case, both of these methods perform differently. Although hashing protects data from practically all types of attacks, it is difficult to implement. As a result, encryption is more practicable than hashing in most circumstances. Their functionality, on the other hand, varies depending on the scenario. As a result, depending on the scenario, you must choose between the two techniques.

Do you want your website to be encrypted?

It is still not too late to encrypt your website. To begin, look for the finest SSL supplier who can provide you with an authorized SSL certificate. Then, register with the service provider and select the finest SSL certificate for your site. You must complete the configuration procedure according to the SSL provider’s instructions. After a certificate authority verifies the relevant information, you’ll have the SSL certificate you need to install on the server. Your website operating on that server will have robust encryption when you install the certificate.

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