Hashing in Cyber Security is the procedure of transforming a particular mathematical value into meaningful information that can be used for different purposes. Converting the string or key into another value can be used for different purposes. One of its main uses is to set up hash tables that store value pairs and keys that are accessible through its index.
Hashing generates new values as per the mathematical hashing algorithm, which is known as the hash or hash value. Hashing is used for data indexing, digital signatures, cybersecurity, and for different purposes.
It is one of the most important cybersecurity tools that companies use to keep their personal devices protected. With the rise of remote work, companies now also make the most out of single sign-on technology to ensure a remote environment and smooth user experience. Modern businesses must leverage hashing to ensure devices have strong passwords and user credentials so attackers cannot exploit the vulnerability of the devices. The main components of hashing are the input key, hash function, and hash table.
Let’s find out more relevant details about hashing.
Types of Hashing
Here are different types of hashing that you must know about. Different hashing algorithms are used for different cases. Let’s find out more about it.
LANMAN
An antiquated password hashing technique called LAN Manager (LANMAN) was mostly utilized by early Microsoft operating systems. Passwords are divided into two seven-character segments, converted to uppercase, and then hashed using DES encryption for each section. Because of its simplicity, lack of salting, and susceptibility to brute-force assaults, LANMAN is regarded as insecure and should not be used with contemporary authentication methods.
NTLM
Microsoft’s NTLM security protocol suite employs hashing to authenticate users. NTLM is more secure than LANMAN since it uses the MD4 technique to hash passwords. But because it isn’t salted, it is susceptible to rainbow table attacks. Although Kerberos has taken its place in contemporary Windows settings, NTLM is still utilized for backward compatibility and specific network situations.
Script
Strong algorithms like SHA-256 are frequently used in scripts for hashing in order to secure passwords. For applications that need data integrity checks or authentication, developers incorporate these techniques into scripts. These algorithms guarantee cryptographic security by producing distinct, fixed-length outputs. Script-based techniques strengthen defenses against brute-forcing attacks and safeguard confidential data in practical applications by combining salting and iterative hashing.
Ethash
Ethereum blockchain mining employs the proof-of-work hashing technique known as Ethash. To provide ASIC resistance, it combines memory-intensive computational stages with Keccak (SHA-3 form). Because Ethash depends on a big dataset (DAG), miners must use a lot of memory. By encouraging GPU mining, preserving network security, and discouraging the benefits of specialist mining hardware, this approach encourages decentralization.
Use cases of Hashing in Cybersecurity
Hashing plays a key role in different cybersecurity algorithms and helps to encode confidential information into a value that is tough to decode. Here are some common uses of hashing in cybersecurity that you must know.
Password Storage
One essential method in cybersecurity for protecting passwords is hashing. Systems save the hashed form of passwords instead of the plaintext when users generate or modify them. To make it nearly difficult to recover the original password, a cryptographic hash function converts it into an irreversible, fixed-length string. Random data supplied to the input is a feature of modern algorithms like bcrypt, Argon2, and PBKDF2 that prevents brute force and rainbow table attacks.
The hashed and salted passwords offer a substantial degree of protection, even in the event that a database is stolen. This technique highlights the significance of using strong, secure password practices while guaranteeing that user credentials are kept safe.
Digital Signature
In order to ensure data integrity and validity, hashing is essential for creating digital signatures. A hash function creates a distinct fingerprint for a message or document. The digital signature is created by combining this fingerprint with a private encryption key. The recipient confirms that the data hasn’t been tampered with by using the hash and the sender’s public key to validate the signature. This method is supported by well-known algorithms that provide strong security.
File and Document Management
By identifying unauthorized alterations, hashing protects the integrity of files and documents. Every file has a distinct hash value that is determined by cryptographic methods. Since every change to the file produces a unique hash, tampering is simple to spot.
Forensic analysis, version control, and safe backups all depend on this capability. It is frequently used by organizations to confirm that downloads and updates are legitimate and malware-free. Additionally, hashing is essential to blockchain technology, which improves the dependability of document management systems by securing and validating transactions within immutable ledgers.
Benefits of Hashing in Cybersecurity
A key technique in cybersecurity, hashing improves system integrity and data protection in a number of ways. For data confidentiality and authenticity to be guaranteed, this procedure is essential.
The capacity of hashing to confirm data integrity is one of its main benefits. Cybersecurity systems can identify unwanted changes by creating a hash value for a file or message. A significantly different hash is produced from even a small alteration to the original data, making it possible to quickly detect corruption or tampering.
Additionally, it is essential for protecting private data, especially passwords. Passwords are much less susceptible to theft when they are saved as hashes rather than in plain text. Even in the event of a compromise, attackers cannot computationally decipher the original data because of modern algorithms and strategies like salting.
Parties can verify the identity of the sender and the integrity of the content by applying a hash to a document and encrypting it using a private key. It is essential to blockchain technology’s transparency and immutability, guaranteeing that the data on the ledger is safe and unchangeable.
Also, it is a crucial part of cybersecurity, offering strong protection against attacks and preserving private data.
Conclusion
Hashing is one of the critical practices that ensures data integrity and helps companies to keep their valuable assets, data, and devices safe. Companies who want to enhance their cybersecurity posture must make the most out of hashing to survive in today’s highly risky era where businesses continuously face cyber threats.