What is SHA-512?
SHA-512 (Secure Hash Algorithm 512-bit) is the largest member of the SHA-2 family of cryptographic hash functions. It produces a 512-bit hash value represented as 128 hexadecimal characters. Designed by the NSA and published by NIST, SHA-512 represents the highest level of cryptographic security currently available for hash functions.
SHA-2 Family Members
- SHA-224: 224-bit output (56 hex characters)
- SHA-256: 256-bit output (64 hex characters)
- SHA-384: 384-bit output (96 hex characters)
- SHA-512: 512-bit output (128 hex characters)
Technical Specifications
- Output: 512 bits (64 bytes) or 128 hexadecimal characters
- Input: Any size input data (up to 2^128 bits)
- Block Size: 1024 bits
- Word Size: 64 bits
- Rounds: 80 rounds of hashing operations
Security Properties
- Collision Resistance: 2^256 operations (astronomically infeasible)
- Preimage Resistance: 2^512 operations (computationally impossible)
- Second Preimage Resistance: 2^512 operations (computationally impossible)
- No Known Attacks: Completely secure against all known cryptanalytic techniques
When to Use SHA-512
SHA-512 is the choice for applications requiring absolute maximum security. Use it for long-term data protection, government and military communications, digital signatures with decades-long validity, and any mission-critical infrastructure where data integrity is paramount. For general-purpose applications, SHA-256 is typically sufficient, but SHA-512 provides that extra security margin for critical systems.