HashNET

How checksums help protect data

Checksums are mathematical functions that are used to verify the integrity of data. They are based on the principle that if data is corrupted, altered or lost, its checksum will also change.

How checksums are created

Checksums are created in a variety of ways, but hashing functions are the most commonly used. A hash function is a mathematical algorithm that converts data into a unique, short value.

How checksums are used

Checksums can be used to verify data integrity in a variety of situations, such as:

- When transferring data over the Internet or other networks

- When storing data on disk or other storage

- When signing electronic documents

How checksums help protect data

Checksums help protect data by making it more difficult to alter or corrupt. If data is corrupted, its checksum will also change. This allows the user or system to detect that the data has been changed and take appropriate action.