Generate SHA 256 Hash

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Activity typeExperiential learning
ParticipationIndividual
Description

Learners hash words and sentences of their own choosing in an online SHA256 generator and see for themselves that a hash is a one-way digital fingerprint.

Materials
  • A phone, tablet or computer with internet access

Procedure

Curious about how hashing works? Open tools.keycdn.com/sha256-online-generator to instantly generate a SHA256 hash from any word, sentence, or input you choose. Hash functions are like digital fingerprints: they're one-way, meaning once something is hashed, it can't be reversed. Try it out and see for yourself!

Notes

Two things are worth making visible while learners experiment, both of them from this chapter: the same input always produces the same hash, and changing a single character produces a completely different one. Ask two learners to hash the same word and compare, then ask one of them to change one letter.