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File verification is the process of using an algorithm for verifying the integrity of a computer file, usually by checksum.This can be done by comparing two files bit-by-bit, but requires two copies of the same file, and may miss systematic corruptions which might occur to both files.
Often, an additional hash of the hash list itself (a top hash, also called root hash or master hash) is used.Before downloading a file on a p2p network, in most cases the top hash is acquired from a trusted source, for instance a friend or a web site that is known to have good recommendations of files to download.
A hash function is applicable in a variety of situations. Particularly within cryptography, notable applications include: [8] Integrity checking: Identical hash values for different files imply equality, providing a reliable means to detect file modifications.
md5sum is a computer program that calculates and verifies 128-bit MD5 hashes, as described in RFC 1321. The MD5 hash functions as a compact digital fingerprint of a file. As with all such hashing algorithms, there is theoretically an unlimited number of files that will have any given MD5 hash.
Such file hashes are often the top hash of a hash list or a hash tree, which allows for additional benefits. One of the main applications of a hash function is to allow the fast look-up of data in a hash table. Being hash functions of a particular kind, cryptographic hash functions lend themselves well to this application too.
This is a list of hash functions, including cyclic redundancy checks, checksum functions, and cryptographic hash functions. This list is incomplete ; you can help by adding missing items . ( February 2024 )
Through this method, a trusted source can calculate the hash of an original data file and subscribers can verify the integrity of the data. The subscriber simply compares a hash of the received data file with the known hash from the trusted source. This can lead to two situations: the hash being the same or the hash being different.
File checksum or more generally the result of a hash function over the file contents: data used to verify the integrity of the file contents, generally against transmission errors or malicious attacks. The signature can be included at the end of the file or in a separate file.