File hashes are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of files - especially those transmitted over the internet. When downloading a file from MSDN for instance, you are presented with the SHA-1 Hash - a list of seemingly random characters and numbers that are generated using the SHA-1 encryption algorithm to uniquely identify that file. If even a single bit of that file is changed, the hash itself will change. Most importantly, it is nearly impossible to create a different file that will produce the same hash, making spoofing unfeasable. But the question remains, how can I easily verify that hash against the file that I actually downloaded? This article will present a window shell extension that gives you easy access to the hash of any file quickly and easily.
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