Secure Hash Algorithms

Secure Hash Algorithms (SHA) are mathematical functions that convert data into a fixed-length string of characters called a hash. This process is designed to be one-way, meaning you can easily generate the hash from the data, but very difficult to reverse-engineer the original data from the hash. SHA helps verify data integrity, ensuring that information hasn't been altered or corrupted. It’s widely used in security protocols, digital signatures, and passwords to safeguard information by creating unique digital fingerprints for data.