Reading assignment: Hashing

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#3655
  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
  • SHA-256
  1. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
  • There are too many different possible answers and only 1 answer will be correct but it will take too long to achieve the correct answer.
1 Like
#3656

  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
    The most popular cryptocurrency in the world uses a Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) named SHA-256. Contrary to what some might think, this algorithm was not invented by the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, but by the National Security Agency (NSA) within the USA.

  2. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
    The computation involved makes brute force approach pretty much impossible to find a collision. The amount of time this would take you is not practical.

1 Like
#3657

  1. SHA-256

  2. It cannot be reversed and required a huge amount of possibilities to be tested.

1 Like
#3658
  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
    SHA-256
  2. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
    It is almost impossible to brute-force because of the one way mechanism. You cannot reverse engineer it
    back to its original state if has been hashed.
1 Like
#3659

  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
    The SHA-256 hash algorithm is used by bitcoin

  2. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
    _ Because is irreversible.

1 Like
#3660
  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
    SHA-256
  2. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
    Due to the vast number of possibilities the chances of correctly solving a block are already very low.
1 Like
#3661
  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
    SHA-256
  2. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
    The raw data has been blended into an irreversible mixture
1 Like
#3662
  1. The hashing algorithm is called SHA-256.
  2. This hashing algorithm is incredibly hard because the alphanumeric value that is produced needs to yield equal to or less than 256. If it is above, then you need to try again. It is entirely random and is compared to winning the lottery.
1 Like
#3663

  1. SHA-256

  2. Because the system functions in manner similar to that of a lottery. In order to receive compensation, your hash must produce a number below the target set by the block’s header. This target is never constant and thus mining Bitcoin is a game of chance.

1 Like
#3664

1_ SHA-256

2_ It cannot be retro-engineered, the sheer number of …numbers requires enormous processing power and even then the outcome does not ensure reward.

1 Like
#3665
  1. Bitcoin algorythm is called SHA256
  2. Because theres soo many possibilities its virtually impossible to find the input from the output. it would take long long time and energy.
1 Like
#3666
  1. What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?

SHA-256

  1. Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?

The hashing algorithm is almost impossible to brute-force due to the extremely high number of possible combinations within the 256 character alpha-numeric string that the SHA-256 creates for each hash and that fact that it’s unidirectional and extremely difficult or impossible to reverse engineer to learn the original inputs.

1 Like
#3667
  1. The secure hash algorithm SHA-256 created by the NSA
  2. The 256 alphanumeric code is has to be mathematically solved going against miners all over the world as bitcoin is mined every 10 minutes
1 Like
#3668

  1. SHA256 Secure Hash Algorithm, developed by the NSA

  2. Hashes are one way functions, meaning a hash will not allow you to get the original text input. Cannot be decrypted back to the original.

1 Like
#3669
  1. SHA-256
  2. The hashing algorithm is straightforward in one direction, but to try to reverse it would require trying a vast number of possible inputs, which would require an extremely large amount of computational power and time.
2 Likes
#3670

Miners are searching for a new hash below a target. Brute forcing would mean you are trying to find the exact same hash for a certain input. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#3671

1.What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
SHA-256 (secure hash algorithm - 256bit)

2.Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
SHA-256 is not reversible, hence it is not possible to retrieve the original input data from the output. The 256 bit output of SHA-256 has very large number of possibilities, which makes it virtually impossible to guess the output.

1 Like
#3672
  1. SHA - 256
  2. The chances of brute forcing the hashing algorithm is incredibly low as finding the correct input based on the output is extremely unlikely and would take huge computational power and to do achieve this fast enough to catch and overtake the accepted chain is practically impossible.
1 Like
#3673
  1. The hashing algorithm used in Bitcoin is called SHA-256
  2. SHA-256 is really hard to brute-force because the numbers and possibilities are extremely high (up to a 256 digit number)
1 Like
#3674

What is the hashing algorithm called used in Bitcoin?
SHA-256

Why is this hashing algorithm really hard (almost impossible) to brute-force?
Because the 256-bit output needs to be matched with its input which can vary from 64-bit, 128-bit and 256-bit. No matter the input, the numbers are so long it would take centuries to brute-force.

1 Like