📌 Hash-Based Message Authentication Summary

Hash-Based Message Authentication is a method used to check if a message has been altered and to confirm who sent it. It works by combining the message with a secret key and then applying a hash function, creating a unique code called a message authentication code (MAC). If the message changes, the code will not match, alerting the receiver to tampering or unauthorised access.

🙋🏻‍♂️ Explain Hash-Based Message Authentication Simply

Imagine you and your friend share a secret handshake. Every time you send a message, you include the handshake so your friend knows it is really from you and has not been changed by anyone else. If someone tries to fake the message but does not know the handshake, your friend will spot the difference right away.

📅 How Can it be used?

Use hash-based message authentication to secure API requests between a mobile app and its server.

🗺️ Real World Examples

Online banking apps use hash-based message authentication to ensure that transaction details sent from your phone to the bank server have not been changed by anyone else. The app and the server share a secret key, so only valid requests are accepted.

Cloud storage providers use hash-based message authentication when syncing files so that only authorised users can make changes to documents. This helps to prevent unauthorised access and data corruption.

✅ FAQ

Hash-based message authentication helps make sure that the message you receive is exactly what was sent and that it really came from the person you expect. If someone tries to change the message along the way, the special code created by the process will not match up, so you will know something is wrong.

Hash-based message authentication is designed to spot if your message has been tampered with or if someone is pretending to be the sender. However, it does not hide the message itself, so it does not keep the content secret from hackers. For privacy, you would also need encryption.

The secret key is important because it is shared only between the sender and the receiver. Without this key, no one else can create the correct code for the message. This means only someone with the key can send messages that will be accepted as genuine.

📚 Categories

• Cryptographic Primitives
• Cybersecurity
• Network Security

🔗 External Reference Links

Hash-Based Message Authentication link

Ready to Transform, and Optimise?

At EfficiencyAI, we don’t just understand technology — we understand how it impacts real business operations. Our consultants have delivered global transformation programmes, run strategic workshops, and helped organisations improve processes, automate workflows, and drive measurable results.

Whether you're exploring AI, automation, or data strategy, we bring the experience to guide you from challenge to solution.

Let’s talk about what’s next for your organisation.

---

💡Other Useful Knowledge Cards

Decentralized Identity Frameworks

Decentralised identity frameworks are systems that allow individuals to control their digital identities without relying on a single, central authority. These frameworks use cryptography and distributed networks to let people securely manage and share their personal information. This approach aims to give users more privacy and control over how their data is used online.

Threshold Signatures

Threshold signatures are a type of digital signature system where a group of people or computers can collectively sign a message, but only if a minimum number of them agree. This minimum number is called the threshold. No individual member can produce a valid signature alone, which increases security and trust. Threshold signatures are useful for shared control over sensitive data or transactions, as they prevent a single person from acting alone.

Secure Collaboration Tools

Secure collaboration tools are digital platforms or applications that allow people to work together while keeping their shared information safe from unauthorised access. They provide features like encrypted messaging, secure file sharing, and controlled access to documents. These tools help teams communicate and collaborate efficiently, even when working remotely or across different locations, without compromising data privacy.

Stakeholder Alignment Strategies

Stakeholder alignment strategies are methods used to ensure that everyone with an interest in a project or decision agrees on the goals and approach. These strategies help manage communication, clarify expectations, and resolve conflicts between different groups or individuals. By aligning stakeholders, organisations can reduce misunderstandings and keep projects moving forward smoothly.

Prompt Stacking

Prompt stacking is a technique used to improve the performance of AI language models by combining several prompts or instructions together in a sequence. This helps the model complete more complex tasks by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps. Each prompt in the stack builds on the previous one, making it easier for the AI to follow the intended logic and produce accurate results.