📖 Description

1. What is SHA Encryption?

SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) is a series of cryptographic hash functions designed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It maps data of any length to a fixed-length "digital fingerprint".

Core Characteristics: One-way (irreversible), collision resistance (extremely difficult to find two different inputs that produce the same output).
Version Evolution: From SHA-1, which has been proven to have weaknesses, to the currently mainstream SHA-256, and the higher-strength SHA-512, the SHA family remains the cornerstone of internet security protocols (such as SSL/TLS).

2. SHA Series Algorithm Comparison and Selection

This tool integrates the entire SHA family of algorithms. You can choose the appropriate strength based on different scenarios:

Algorithm Name	Output Length (bits/Hex)	Security Level	Recommended Application Scenarios
SHA-1	160 bits / 40 chars	Low	Legacy software compatibility, Git version verification, non-security hashing
SHA-224	224 bits / 56 chars	High	Simplified version of the SHA-2 series
SHA-256	256 bits / 64 chars	Very High (Mainstream)	Blockchain, digital certificates, API signatures, password hashing
SHA-384	384 bits / 96 chars	Very High	High-security environments, strict data integrity verification
SHA-512	512 bits / 128 chars	Highest	Financial-grade data, integrity fingerprinting for very large files

3. The Difference Between SHA and MD5

Although both are used to generate data digests, there are significant differences:

Security: SHA (especially SHA-256 and above) has far stronger collision resistance than MD5.
Length: MD5 only generates 128 bits, while SHA-256 generates 256 bits. The longer the bit length, the higher the cost of brute-force attacks.
Usage: MD5 is now mostly used for fast verification in non-security scenarios, while SHA-256 is the current industrial standard for network authentication and sensitive data processing.

4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can the result after SHA encryption be decrypted and restored?

A: No. SHA is a one-way hash function; it is not encryption but hashing. Its design goal is to make it impossible to derive the original plaintext from the result.

Q: Why do two completely identical files generate different SHA-256 values?

A: Hash values are extremely sensitive to data. Please check the file's line endings (CRLF vs. LF), encoding format (UTF-8 vs. GBK), or whether there are invisible hidden characters in the file.

Q: Is SHA-256 absolutely secure?

A: Under current mathematical theory and computational power, SHA-256 is considered extremely secure. Although collisions are theoretically possible, the probability is negligible. However, to defend against "rainbow table" lookups, it is still recommended to use "salting" when storing passwords.

5. Why Choose This Site's SHA Encryption Tool?

Full Algorithm Coverage: Complete all conversions from SHA-1 to SHA-512 on a single page without jumping back and forth.
Localized Computation: Your sensitive plaintext data is processed entirely locally in your browser. This site never uploads any raw data before hashing, ensuring your privacy and commercial secrets are absolutely safe.
Instant Response: Utilizes efficient WebCrypto API and JavaScript libraries, providing results instantly even for large data volumes.
Developer Optimized: Offers one-click case switching, supports Hex and Base64 format output, perfectly interfacing with backend development environments like Java, Go, Python, PHP.

SHA Tutorial: SHA Basics: Comprehensive Explanation of SHA-1/2/3

SHA Encryption