Different Cryptographic Hash Functions for Security in the Blockchain

• Published in: 2023 International Conference on Data Science and Network Security (ICDSNS) pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Sharma, Dhramandra, Saxena, Monika
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 28.07.2023
• Subjects: blockchain; cryptocurrency; Cryptographic hash function; cryptographic hash functions SHA (secure hash algorithm); MD (message digest); Measurement; Network security; Privacy; Scalability; security; Simulation; Throughput
• DOI: 10.1109/ICDSNS58469.2023.10245326

In day-to-day life, everyone is concerned about their security and privacy, and their concern becomes more when it comes to transactions. The technology behind blockchain is quite young. Its efficiency and usefulness have led to claims that it may usher in a new era of breakthrough applications. Technology for digitally encrypting data transfers is fundamental to the blockchain's operation. Protecting the privacy of blockchain users and their transactions is crucial to the technology's success. Hash functions are a crucial component of the blockchain's underlying data structure, guaranteeing both its scalability and security. The blockchain's security may be assessed by analyzing the hash functions it employs in light of several security criteria. This article provides a primer on blockchain, covering such subjects as the technology's function, practical applications, and more. The cryptographic hash functions are introduced briefly, such as whirlpool, MD (message digest), RIPEMD, SHA (secure hash algorithm), BLAKE, etc. The paper concludes with the comparative results. Simulation results demonstrate that the different cryptographic hash algorithms outperform in terms of all the evaluation metrics, such as frequency and throughput.