About SHA-3
SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) is the latest member of the Secure Hash Algorithm family,
standardized by NIST in 2015.
Unlike its predecessors (SHA-1 and SHA-2), SHA-3 is based on a completely different design
called Keccak, which uses a sponge construction.
SHA-3 was selected through a public competition to provide an alternative to SHA-2, in case
significant weaknesses were found in the SHA-2 family.
Key Features:
- Output Sizes: 224, 256, 384, or 512 bits
- Design: Based on the Keccak sponge construction
- Security: Very high (resistant to quantum computing attacks)
- Performance: Generally slower than SHA-2 in software but can be faster in
hardware
Advantages:
- Completely different design from SHA-1 and SHA-2, providing algorithm diversity
- Resistant to all known cryptographic attacks
- Flexible design that can be used for various cryptographic functions beyond hashing
- Includes specialized variants like SHAKE (extendable output functions)
Common Uses:
- Digital signatures
- Message authentication codes (MACs)
- Password hashing (though specialized password hashing functions like Argon2 are preferred)
- Data integrity verification
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency applications