SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm 1)
Noun | /ˌɛs eɪtʃ ˈeɪ wʌn/
A cryptographic hash function developed by the NSA that produces a 160-bit (20-byte) hash value. While once widely used for security applications, it is now considered cryptographically broken.
Key Details:
- Developed in 1995 as part of the SHA family
- Vulnerable to collision attacks since 2005
- Phased out in favor of SHA-256 and SHA-3
- Still used in some legacy systems
Example:
“Git originally used SHA-1 for commit hashes, though many repositories now support stronger alternatives.”