If you do not know SHA-3 and are willing to know that, this article is for you. We will discuss SHA-3 usage and how SHA-3 work. So Let's find out about SHA-3.
What is SHA-3?
SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) is the latest member of the family of secure hash algorithm standards, published by NIST on August 5, 2015. While belonging to the same family of standards, SHA-3 is internally distinct from the MD5- like structures of SHA-1 and SHA-2. SHA-3 is a subset of the broader Keccak family of cryptographic primitives.
Designed by Guido Bertoni, Joan Daemen, Michaël Peeters, and Gilles Van Assche, based on Radio Gatún. The authors of Keccak have suggested other uses for the feature that have not been (yet) standardized by NIST, including stream ciphers, authenticated encryption systems , and "tree" hashing schemes for faster hashing on some architectures.
The creators of the Keccak algorithm and SHA-3 function suggested using the faster function KangarooTwelve and tuning the parameters and the new tree hashing mode without incurring additional overhead for small message sizes.
Where is SHA-3 Used?
The Keccak function (SHA-3) was developed around 2007 after NIST announced an open competition and review process to seek a new cryptographic hash function to overcome the potential flaws of the previous SHA-1 and SHA-2.
Hash algorithms can be used for digital signatures, message authentication codes, key derivation functions, pseudorandom functions, and many other security applications. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 180-4), the Secure Hash Standard, specifies seven cryptographic hashing algorithms for federal use and is also widely adopted by the information technology industry.
In 2004-2005, several cryptographic hash algorithms were successfully attacked, with a serious attack published against NIST-approved SHA-1. In response, NIST held two public workshops to assess the state of its approved hashing algorithms and solicit public comments on its cryptographic hashing algorithm policies and standards. As a result of these workshops, NIST decided to develop a new cryptographic hash algorithm for standardization through an open competition. The new hashing algorithm will be called SHA-3.
How does SHA-3 work?
SHA-3 was developed by a famous European cryptographic team and is based on the KECCAK cryptographic function. The KECCAK function consists of a structure constructed using a sponge, which represents a class of algorithms that take an input bitstream of arbitrary length to generate an output bitstream of any desired length.
I hope now you will understand where is SHA-3 used and how does SHA-3 work. Migration from SHA-2 to SHA-3 has been slow, in part due to a lack of software and hardware support. However, the migration process should be somewhat similar to the migration from SHA-1 to SHA-2. At least for embedded systems, having at least one secure authenticator that supports SHA-3 makes it easier to secure smart, connected designs.
