Exactly - this is a very good analogy. It's important not to take it too literally though, as people's fingerprints are unique while hashes are not. Many different original strings can lead to the same hash (called a collision) and this is how MD5 and other hashes are broken in attacks (since if your system only compares hashes, any original leading to that hash will do). The more complex hashes available in CF7 lead to less collisions and are therefore harder to crack.
-----Original Message----- From: Dave Merrill [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, 7 May 2005 7:16 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: HASH() reverse > A common mistake is too think of hashes as "encryption" - they're not. > They don't represent the source. It's better to think of a hash as a > "Fingerprint". > > There is no way, using a fingerprint, to reconstruct the finger which > made it. That information isn't represented by the fingerprint (which > is only a "surface reflection"). > > However if you have a finger you CAN use a fingerprint to determine if > the finger is in face the one that made the print. > > In other words hashes (like fingerprints) can identify the original > but can't ever recreate it. > > Make sense? > > Jim Davis Nice explanation Jim (:-) It's sometimes hard for people to understand this basic concept. That was the simplest, clearest, most common-sense take on hashing I've seen. I'll remember it if I need to go through this with a client. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:205946 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
