A security engineer reference manual covering cryptographic hash digest lengths, collision vulnerability statuses, data encoding multipliers (Hex, Base32, Base58, Base64), and modern browser Web Crypto implementations.
Essential reference equations governing calculations in this domain.
\text{Base64 Size (Bytes)} = 4 \times \left\lceil \frac{\text{Raw Bytes}}{3} \right\rceil \approx 1.333 \times \text{Raw Bytes} \ (+33.3\%)Every 3 binary bytes are mapped to 4 ASCII characters (6 bits per character), adding 33% payload overhead.
E = L \times \log_2(R)Measures password brute-force resistance in bits where L is string length and R is pool character space size.
Digest length, collision vulnerability status, and approved modern use cases.
| Algorithm | Digest Bits | Hex Char Length | Collision Status | Primary Modern Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 128 bits | 32 hex characters | Broken (Collisions trivial) | Non-cryptographic checksums only. Avoid for security. |
| SHA-1 | 160 bits | 40 hex characters | Broken (SHAttered collision) | Legacy Git commit hashes. Deprecated for certificates. |
| SHA-256 (SHA-2) | 256 bits | 64 hex characters | Secure (Industry standard) | Bitcoin proof-of-work, TLS/SSL certificates, HMAC |
| SHA-384 (SHA-2) | 384 bits | 96 hex characters | Secure (High assurance) | Government top secret suite, NSA Suite B |
| SHA-512 (SHA-2) | 512 bits | 128 hex characters | Secure (Maximum strength) | Password hashing salts, modern secure tokens |
| SHA3-256 (Keccak) | 256 bits | 64 hex characters | Secure (Sponge construction) | Ethereum hashing, post-quantum backup standard |
| BLAKE3 | 256 bits | 64 hex characters | Secure (Ultra-fast Merkle tree) | High-throughput modern file hashing (Faster than SHA-256) |
Bits per character, alphabet character set, and transmission size overhead.
| Encoding Scheme | Alphabet Size | Bits / Char | Size Overhead | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base16 (Hexadecimal) | 16 chars (0-9, a-f) | 4 bits / char | +100% (2x original) | Cryptographic hash digests, color codes, memory dumps |
| Base32 | 32 chars (A-Z, 2-7) | 5 bits / char | +60% overhead | TOTP two-factor authentication secret keys (Google Authenticator) |
| Base58 | 58 chars (No 0,O,I,l) | 5.85 bits / char | +37% overhead | Bitcoin & cryptocurrency wallet addresses (Prevents visual ambiguity) |
| Base64 | 64 chars (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /) | 6 bits / char | +33.3% overhead | Email MIME attachments, inline data URIs, basic auth headers |
| Base64URL | 64 chars (-, _ instead of +, /) | 6 bits / char | +33.3% overhead | JSON Web Tokens (JWT), URL-safe session identifiers |
Symmetric block/stream ciphers vs asymmetric public-key cryptosystems.
| Algorithm | Type | Standard Key Length | Security Level | Primary Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-GCM | Symmetric (Authenticated) | 128 or 256 bits | Quantum-resistant (256-bit) | TLS 1.3 payload encryption, secure database fields |
| ChaCha20-Poly1305 | Symmetric (Stream + Auth) | 256 bits | High (Fast on mobile/ARM) | WireGuard VPN, mobile TLS where AES hardware acceleration lacks |
| RSA | Asymmetric (Factorization) | 2048 to 4096 bits | Legacy standard | Legacy digital signatures, legacy HTTPS key exchange |
| ECDSA (P-256) | Asymmetric (Elliptic Curve) | 256 bits | High (~3072-bit RSA equivalent) | Modern TLS handshakes, JWT digital signing |
| Ed25519 | Asymmetric (Edwards Curve) | 256 bits | High (Resistant to side-channels) | SSH authentication keys, Git commit signing, modern crypto |
Standard algorithms supported by window.crypto.subtle in modern browsers.
| Operation | Algorithm Identifier | Typical Parameters | Key Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digest (Hashing) | SHA-256 / SHA-512 | None | crypto.subtle.digest("SHA-256", data) |
| Encryption | AES-GCM | 12-byte IV, 128-bit tag length | crypto.subtle.encrypt / decrypt |
| Key Derivation | PBKDF2 | Salt, 600,000+ iterations, SHA-256 | crypto.subtle.deriveKey |
| HMAC Signing | HMAC | Hash: SHA-256, key length: 256 | crypto.subtle.sign / verify |
| Signature Generation | ECDSA / Ed25519 | Named curve P-256 | crypto.subtle.sign / verify |
Interactive calculators and converters for this suite are being activated in upcoming rollout waves.
All 100 tools in this category have passed strict client-side verification and are scheduled for progressive rollout across upcoming waves.
Clear technical and regulatory explanations regarding these parameters and formulas.