Online SHA-1 hash generator

Sha-1 cryptographic function generates hashes used to verify a file has been unaltered.It can be used as a 40 hexadecimal password or as a key to protecting important data such as credit cards, private information and much more.

What is Cryptography

The term cryptography has derived from the Greek word kryptos, meaning hidden. It comes under the umbrella of computer science and deals with secure communication techniques, i.e. it allows only the sender and intended recipient to view message contents. It also protects digital data by transforming data into various formats so unauthorized users can't access it.

What is sha-1 and what is it used for

Sha-1 is a Secure Hash Algorithm and cryptographic hash function designed by the national security agency for the US government in 1993 to secure digital communication. It has wide use in security applications and protocols, i.e. SSL certificates, checksum algorithms, password encryption etc.

It takes a string of characters as input and processes it to generate a 160-bit hash value, i.e. 20-byte message digest. It ruled the tech industry for two decades. Sha-1 is collision-resistant, i.e. two inputs could not have the same hash value.

About sha-1 hash generator

Freenerdtools sha1 hash generator is an online tool to generate sha1 hash. This free online sha1 hash function generator takes a random string input of fewer than 264 bits to produce the sha1 hash online. It uses 80 rounds of cryptography operations to encrypt and secure a data object.

How to generate sha-1 hash using Freenerdtools

Select Freenerdtools Sha1 generator from the tools list. The interface is quite simple and user-friendly, so you don't have to go through excessive training to get yourself familiar with the sha-1 hash generator tool.

Simply write or copy-paste your message into the text area and press on submit button to convert the input to an online hash. It will generate the 160-bit hexadecimal hash. 

On typing "Freenerdtools" as an input, the hashing algorithm tool generates the following output:

38faf50d918ad0bce3d41246df5944a750dc33f3

Is sha-1 algorithm secure?

Sha-1 is more secure than md5. In 2005, sha-1 was found to be not secure enough for high-security environments. It allows the hacker to spoof content and perform phishing or man-in-the-middle attacks. It was widely used for signing SSL certificates, but after 2017 many browsers stopped supporting it.

What replaced sha-1?

Sha-2 was designed to replace sha1 and is considered much more secure. Besides this, sha256 has also gained immense popularity in the digital industry. All major SSL certificate issuers now use Sha256, which is more secure and trustworthy. 

Other cryptographic algorithms

The best and most commonly used hashing algorithms nowadays are as follow:

• The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES): It is a symmetric block cypher chosen by the US government to protect classified information. It uses 192 and 256 bits keys for encryption.
• Triple DES: It replaces the original Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm. It uses 56-bit individual key with a total key length adding up to 168 bits.
• Blowfish: This symmetric cypher splits messages into blocks of 64 bits and encrypts them individually. It is known for its tremendous speed and overall effectiveness.