What is Hashing?

Hashing is the process of transforming any amount of data (a file, a password, a string) into a fixed-size string of characters, usually a hex sequence. This output is called a "hash" or "digest".

Key properties of a cryptographic hash function:

1. Deterministic: The same input always results in the same hash.
2. One-way: You cannot retrieve the original data from the hash.
3. Avalanche Effect: Changing a single bit of input changes the entire hash significantly.
4. Collision Resistant: It should be computationally infeasible to find two different inputs that produce the same hash.

MD5: The Fallen Hero

MD5 (Message Digest Algorithm 5) was designed by Ronald Rivest in 1991. It produces a 128-bit hash value, typically expressed as a 32-digit hexadecimal number.

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