AP® Cybersecurity glossary

Hash

Also called: hash output, checksum, message digest, digest

Course: AP® Cybersecurity Shows up in: Unit 4: Securing Devices

The fixed-length output of a cryptographic hash function; repeatable, collision resistant and pre-image resistant.

Appears in the course and exam description (CED): 4.2.A.14.2.A.3

Why it matters in Unit 4

Systems store password hashes, not passwords.

Example

SHA-256 always gives 64 hex characters, whatever the input.

Related terms

• Salt
• Collision
• Rainbow table