Chapter 13. Hashing Algorithms

In the previous chapter, we showed you that Alice and Bob could ensure the integrity of their messages by using data hash codes. Alice creates a hash code, which she sends to Bob along with her message. When Bob receives the message, he creates his own hash code and compares it to the one that he received from Alice. If the two hash codes are the same, then Bob can assume that Eve has not altered the contents of the message.

In this chapter, we examine hash codes in-depth and show you how to create and validate your own hash codes using the .NET Framework classes. We also show you how you can extend the .NET Framework by adding a new hashing algorithm.