Comparison of hash function algorithms against attacks: a review

Abstract

Hash functions are considered key components of nearly all cryptographic protocols, as well as of many security applications such as message authentication codes, data integrity, password storage, and random number generation. Many hash function algorithms have been proposed in order to ensure authentication and integrity of the data, including MD5, SHA-1, SHA-2, SHA-3 and RIPEMD. This paper involves an overview of these standard algorithms, and also provides a focus on their limitations against common attacks. These study shows that these standard hash function algorithms suffer collision attacks and time inefficiency. Other types of hash functions are also highlighted in comparison with the standard hash function algorithm in performing the resistance against common attacks. It shows that these algorithms are still weak to resist against collision attacks.