SHA3-384 Hash Generator

About SHA3-384 Hash Generator

Welcome to the SHA3-384 Hash Generator, a professional cryptographic tool for generating SHA3-384 hashes from text or file input. SHA3-384 is part of the SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) family, standardized by NIST in 2015 as FIPS 202. This tool provides instant hash generation with features like uppercase/lowercase output options, real-time input statistics, and algorithm comparison.

What is SHA3-384?

SHA3-384 is a cryptographic hash function that produces a fixed-length 384-bit (48-byte) hash value from any input data. It belongs to the SHA-3 family, which is based on the Keccak algorithm designed by Guido Bertoni, Joan Daemen, Michael Peeters, and Gilles Van Assche. Unlike SHA-2 (which includes SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512), SHA-3 uses a fundamentally different internal structure called the "sponge construction."

SHA3-384 Security Features

How to Use This Tool

1. Enter your text: Type or paste the text you want to hash into the input area. Use the example buttons for quick testing.
2. Or upload a file: Click the file upload area to select a text file. The file contents will be loaded into the text area.
3. Choose output format: Select lowercase (default) or uppercase for the hash output.
4. Generate the hash: Click "Generate SHA3-384 Hash" to compute the cryptographic hash.
5. Copy the result: Use the copy button to copy the hash to your clipboard.

SHA-3 vs SHA-2: Understanding the Difference

While both SHA-2 (including SHA-384) and SHA-3 (including SHA3-384) are secure hash algorithms, they differ fundamentally in their design:

• Internal Structure: SHA-2 uses the Merkle-Damgard construction, while SHA-3 uses the sponge construction based on Keccak.
• Design Philosophy: SHA-3 was designed as a "backup" in case vulnerabilities were found in SHA-2. Its different structure provides security diversity.
• Performance: SHA-2 is generally faster in software implementations, while SHA-3 can be more efficient in hardware.
• Same Output Length, Different Hashes: SHA-384 and SHA3-384 both produce 384-bit hashes, but from the same input, they produce completely different results.

Common Use Cases for SHA3-384

Digital Signatures

SHA3-384 is used to create a hash of a document or message before signing with a private key. The hash ensures that any modification to the document can be detected.

File Integrity Verification

Software distributors provide SHA3-384 hashes of their files, allowing users to verify that downloaded files have not been tampered with or corrupted.

Password Storage

While specialized algorithms like Argon2 or bcrypt are preferred for password hashing, SHA3-384 can be used as part of a secure password storage system with proper salting.

Blockchain Applications

Some blockchain implementations use SHA-3 variants for transaction hashing and block verification, taking advantage of its different cryptographic properties.

Certificate Transparency

SHA3-384 is used in some certificate transparency logs and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) applications where long-term security is critical.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SHA3-384?

SHA3-384 is a cryptographic hash function from the SHA-3 family, standardized by NIST in 2015. It produces a 384-bit (48-byte) hash value, represented as a 96-character hexadecimal string. SHA-3 is based on the Keccak algorithm and provides a different internal structure compared to SHA-2, offering additional security margin against potential future attacks.

How is SHA3-384 different from SHA-384?

SHA3-384 and SHA-384 both produce 384-bit hashes, but they use completely different algorithms. SHA-384 is part of the SHA-2 family and uses the Merkle-Damgard construction. SHA3-384 uses the Keccak sponge construction, which provides different security properties. SHA-3 was designed as a backup in case vulnerabilities were found in SHA-2.

Is SHA3-384 secure for cryptographic use?

Yes, SHA3-384 is considered highly secure for cryptographic applications. It provides 192-bit security against collision attacks and 384-bit security against preimage attacks. It is approved by NIST and suitable for digital signatures, message authentication codes, key derivation, and other security-critical applications.

What are common use cases for SHA3-384?

Common use cases include: digital signature generation and verification, file integrity verification, password hashing (with proper salting), blockchain and cryptocurrency applications, secure random number generation, and creating message authentication codes (MACs). It is especially useful when high security margin is required.

Why is the SHA3-384 hash always 96 characters long?

SHA3-384 produces a fixed 384-bit output regardless of input size. When represented in hexadecimal (base-16), each character represents 4 bits, so 384 bits / 4 = 96 hexadecimal characters. This fixed-length output is a fundamental property of cryptographic hash functions.

Can I reverse a SHA3-384 hash to get the original text?

No, SHA3-384 is a one-way cryptographic hash function, meaning it is computationally infeasible to reverse the hash to obtain the original input. This property, called preimage resistance, is fundamental to its security. The only way to find a matching input is through brute-force or dictionary attacks, which are impractical for strong inputs.

Related Hash Functions

• SHA3-224: 224-bit variant of SHA-3 (56 hex characters)
• SHA3-256: 256-bit variant of SHA-3 (64 hex characters)
• SHA3-512: 512-bit variant of SHA-3 (128 hex characters)
• SHAKE128/SHAKE256: Extendable-output functions (XOFs) from the SHA-3 family

Additional Resources

• SHA-3 - Wikipedia
• FIPS 202: SHA-3 Standard - NIST
• The Keccak Team

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