📌 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

Workforce Training Automation

Workforce training automation refers to the use of technology to deliver, manage and track employee training programmes with minimal manual intervention. It often involves tools such as learning management systems, automated assessments, and digital content delivery platforms. By automating routine tasks like scheduling, reminders, and progress tracking, organisations can save time, reduce errors and ensure consistent training experiences for all staff.

Cutover Planning

Cutover planning is the process of preparing for the transition from an old system or process to a new one. It involves making sure all necessary steps are taken to ensure a smooth switch, including scheduling, communication, risk assessment, and resource allocation. The aim is to minimise disruptions and ensure that the new system is up and running as intended, with all data and functions transferred correctly.

Transformation Heatmaps

Transformation heatmaps are visual tools that display how data points change or move after a transformation, such as scaling, rotating, or shifting. They use colours to show areas of higher or lower concentration, making it easy to spot patterns or differences before and after changes. These heatmaps help users quickly understand the effects of transformations in data, images, or other visual content.

Rowhammer Attacks

Rowhammer attacks are a type of cyberattack that target the physical memory chips in computers, especially DRAM. By rapidly and repeatedly accessing specific rows of memory, attackers can cause tiny electrical disturbances that flip bits in nearby rows. This can lead to unauthorised changes in data, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security measures or gain higher privileges.

Blockchain-Based Trust Models

Blockchain-based trust models use blockchain technology to help people or organisations trust each other without needing a central authority. By storing records and transactions on a public, shared database, everyone can see and verify what has happened. This reduces the risk of fraud or mistakes, as no single person can change the information without others noticing. These models are used in situations where trust is important but hard to establish, such as online transactions between strangers or managing digital identities.