What is SHA3-224?
SHA3-224 is part of the SHA-3 family of cryptographic hash functions, finalized and published by NIST in 2015. It produces a 224-bit hash value (56 hexadecimal characters) and represents the latest standard in secure hashing algorithms. SHA-3 is based on the Keccak algorithm and offers superior security properties compared to its predecessors.
SHA-3 Family Members
- SHA3-224: 224-bit output (56 hex characters)
- SHA3-256: 256-bit output (64 hex characters)
- SHA3-384: 384-bit output (96 hex characters)
- SHA3-512: 512-bit output (128 hex characters)
Technical Specifications
- Output: 224 bits (28 bytes) or 56 hexadecimal characters
- Input: Any size input data
- Algorithm: Based on Keccak sponge function
- Block Size: 1152 bits (1600 - 224 * 2)
- Rounds: 24 rounds of Keccak permutation
Advantages Over SHA-2
- Different Design: Uses sponge construction instead of Merkle-Damgård
- Better Security: Resistant to length-extension attacks
- Flexibility: Can produce arbitrary output lengths
- NIST Standard: Latest official cryptographic standard
- Future-Proof: Designed with long-term security in mind
Security Properties
SHA3-224 provides strong collision resistance, preimage resistance, and second preimage resistance. It is specifically designed to be immune to attacks that affected previous hash functions. The Keccak algorithm's construction makes it highly resistant to known cryptanalytic techniques and future discoveries.