4 ms·
For non-cryptographic applications that don't require top-grade security, but do want a short reasonably-unique identifier for a file to detect duplicates, MD5'
by bbanyc 13y ago
For non-cryptographic applications that don't require top-grade security, but do want a short reasonably-unique identifier for a file to detect duplicates, MD5's speed and ubiquity made it a natural choice. This is the first thing I've seen aimed at restoring some security to that particular niche.
- joeblau 13y agoSecurity and detecting duplicates are two different things. You can detect duplicates using a Bloom filter and use a lot less memory than using MD5s.
- Dylan16807 13y agoA bloom filter is built on top of hash functions, not instead of them.
- mindslight 13y agoUntil someone gives you two different files with the same md5sum, which are quite easy to create, and violation of your program's assumptions cause it to misbehave in unexpected ways. Most applications of hash functions probably actually do want cryptographic strength, as they will end up being used in ways you did not forsee (and thus exploited).