HAVAL128,4 hash

 

About HAVAL128,4 hash

HAVAL128,4 is a variant of the HAVAL cryptographic hash function, which belongs to the HAVAL family developed by Yuliang Zheng, Josef Pieprzyk, and Jennifer Seberry. HAVAL (HAsh of VAriable Length) was designed in the late 1990s and offers different variants based on the desired output length and the number of compression rounds.

Characteristics of HAVAL128,4

  1. Output Size:

    • HAVAL128,4 produces a fixed-length output of 128 bits (16 bytes).

  2. Compression Rounds:

    • HAVAL operates by dividing the input data into blocks and processing them through multiple rounds of a compression function.
    • The number '4' in HAVAL128,4 indicates that the hash function uses 4 compression rounds.

  3. Initialization Vector and Key:

    • HAVAL uses an initialization vector and a secret key during the compression process.
    • These components are crucial for ensuring the security and effectiveness of the hash function.

  4. Properties:

    • HAVAL was designed to provide variable-length hash outputs (128, 160, 192, 224, or 256 bits) based on different variants (HAVAL128, HAVAL160, HAVAL192, HAVAL224, HAVAL256).
    • It aims to provide strong collision resistance and pre-image resistance properties, suitable for cryptographic applications.

Usage

  • Applications: HAVAL128,4 and other variants of HAVAL were initially used in various cryptographic applications where data integrity and security were paramount.

  • Implementation: Implementing HAVAL involves adhering to the specifications for initialization, compression rounds, and finalization to ensure correct and secure computation of hash values.

Security Considerations

  • HAVAL128,4 was considered secure when it was introduced. However, as with any cryptographic function, it's important to evaluate its security against modern cryptographic standards and potential vulnerabilities.
  • Due to advances in cryptography and potential vulnerabilities identified in some HAVAL variants over time, newer hash functions like SHA-2 or SHA-3 are generally recommended for modern cryptographic applications.

Summary

HAVAL128,4 is a specific variant of the HAVAL cryptographic hash function that produces a 128-bit hash output using 4 compression rounds. It was designed to offer variable-length hash outputs and strong cryptographic properties suitable for various cryptographic applications. However, for applications requiring the highest security standards today, newer hash functions are typically preferred.