SHA-1

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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.”

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