ToolsHash Tools

Hash & Encryption Tool

Generate and verify hashes using various algorithms

Only applies to standard hash algorithms, not password hashing functions

Hash Algorithm Security Guide

Choosing the Right Algorithm

Different hash algorithms serve different purposes. Here's a quick guide to help you choose:

For Password Storage

  • bcrypt - Industry standard, includes salt and cost factor
  • Argon2id - Modern algorithm resistant to GPU attacks
  • Argon2i - Optimized for password hashing
  • PHP PASSWORD_DEFAULT - Currently uses bcrypt, may change in future PHP versions

For Data Integrity & Checksums

  • SHA-256 - Good balance of security and performance
  • SHA-512 - More secure, better on 64-bit systems
  • MD5/CRC32 - Fast but weak, use only for non-security checksums
  • BLAKE2 - Modern alternative to SHA with better performance

Security Considerations

  • Never use MD5 or SHA1 for password storage - they're too fast and vulnerable
  • For password verification, always use PHP's password_hash() and password_verify() functions
  • Standard hash functions (MD5, SHA family) are designed to be fast - this is a weakness for password storage
  • Password hashing functions deliberately slow down the process to prevent brute-force attacks

Common Use Cases

Use Case Recommended Algorithms
Password Storage bcrypt, Argon2id, Argon2i
File Integrity SHA-256, SHA-512, BLAKE2
Data Verification SHA-256, SHA-3
Quick Checksums (Non-secure) CRC32, MD5