SHA-512/256 generator

SHA-512/256 is a variant of the SHA-2 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2) family of cryptographic hash functions. It generates a 256-bit hash value from a given input message, which is shorter than the 512-bit output produced by SHA-512 and longer than the 224-bit output produced by SHA-512/224.

SHA-512/256 uses the same algorithm as SHA-512, but with a different initialization vector and final hash value. It is designed to be more secure than SHA-256, which has a 256-bit output, but less computationally expensive than SHA-512, which has a 512-bit output.

SHA-512/256 is widely used in applications that require a high level of security, such as digital signatures, password storage, and blockchain technology. It is generally considered to be more secure than older hash functions, such as MD5 and SHA-1, which have known vulnerabilities.

However, like other SHA-2 algorithms, SHA-512/256 is more computationally expensive than older hash functions and may not be the best choice for applications where performance is a concern. In some cases, a shorter variant of SHA-2, such as SHA-224 or SHA-256, may be sufficient for the desired level of security, while providing better performance.

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