Hashing Algorithms Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of One-Way Functions

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔑 Hashing algorithms are one-way functions: easy to compute, hard to reverse.
• 🛡️ They provide data integrity by creating a fixed-size hash (or digest) of variable-size input.
• ✨ Common algorithms include MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-3.
• 🕒 MD5 and SHA-1 are considered weak due to collision vulnerabilities.
• 🔒 SHA-256 and SHA-3 are more secure and widely used today.
• 🔢 A collision occurs when two different inputs produce the same hash value.
• 💡 Hashing is used in password storage, data indexing, and cryptography.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is a key characteristic of a hashing algorithm?
   • A) Two-way function
   • B) Reversible function
   • C) One-way function
   • D) Encryption algorithm
2. What is the primary purpose of a hashing algorithm?
   • A) To encrypt data
   • B) To compress data
   • C) To generate a fixed-size representation of data
   • D) To decrypt data
3. Which hashing algorithm is considered cryptographically broken and should not be used for new applications?
   • A) SHA-256
   • B) SHA-3
   • C) MD5
   • D) Whirlpool
4. What is a "collision" in the context of hashing algorithms?
   • A) When the algorithm fails to produce an output
   • B) When two different inputs produce the same hash value
   • C) When the hash value is too long
   • D) When the hash value is too short
5. Which of the following is a common application of hashing algorithms?
   • A) Image compression
   • B) Password storage
   • C) Video streaming
   • D) Audio editing
6. Which hashing algorithm is part of the SHA-2 family?
   • A) MD5
   • B) SHA-1
   • C) SHA-256
   • D) RIPEMD-160
7. Which of the following is a more recent hashing algorithm designed to improve security and performance compared to SHA-2?
   • A) MD6
   • B) SHA-128
   • C) SHA-3
   • D) RIPEMD-320