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Choose based on the threat you need to handle: use CRC-32 to detect accidental corruption when a format or protocol calls for it, xxHash for fast non-cryptographic hashing when attackers cannot exploit collisions, and SHA-256 when you need cryptographic hash properties. If an attacker could replace both a file and its checksum, none of these hashes alone proves who supplied the file; use a digital signature, a message authentication code, or another authenticated method.
Start with the problem you need to solve
A checksum or hash lets you compare data with a calculated value. The right choice depends less on the word “checksum” than on what could go wrong:
- Accidental corruption: A transmission error or damaged file is the concern. CRC-32 is often suitable, especially when an existing format or protocol specifies it.
- High-throughput, non-security hashing: You need a fast hash for tasks such as data processing, indexing, or deduplication, and an attacker cannot choose inputs to exploit collisions. Consider xxHash.
- Malicious changes: You need a cryptographic hash for an integrity check. Of these three, use SHA-256.
- Proof of source or protection from an active attacker: A bare digest is not enough. Verify a digital signature or use a message authentication code or another authenticated protocol.
How the three choices differ
| Algorithm | Best fit | Security boundary | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRC-32 | Detecting accidental errors, particularly when required by a file format or protocol | Not suitable for malicious tampering or authentication | 32-bit checksum |
| SHA-256 | Cryptographic hashing and integrity checks that require a cryptographic hash | Provides cryptographic hash properties, but a bare digest does not identify its creator | 256-bit digest; NIST lists 128-bit collision-resistance strength and 256-bit preimage-resistance strength in its guidance |
| xxHash | Fast, non-cryptographic hashing when collision attacks are not a concern | Not for attacker-selected inputs where an attacker can benefit from collisions | Variants include XXH32, XXH64, XXH3_64bits, and XXH3_128bits |
NIST describes CRC as a common error-detection mechanism and, in its 2000 selection paper, calls it the least robust option among those considered. That is a reason to keep CRC-32 in its error-detection role, not to treat it as a security hash. NIST’s paper on selecting hashing algorithms is dated; it supports the distinction between error detection and cryptographic hashing, not a current speed ranking.
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Use CRC-32 when compatibility and accidental errors matter
CRC-32 produces a 32-bit checksum. A sender can calculate and append a checksum, and a receiver can recalculate it to detect transmission errors. This is useful when a file format, protocol, or existing tool requires CRC-32.
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Do not assume that the label “CRC-32” alone guarantees matching output. CRC families have parameter variants, so use the exact variant specified by the relevant format, protocol, or tooling. A checksum that differs because the implementation does not match the specification is not a useful compatibility check.
CRC-32 is not designed to resist deliberate changes. If someone can modify data and intentionally produce a matching checksum, CRC-32 does not protect the data against that person.
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Use SHA-256 for cryptographic integrity checks
SHA-256 is part of NIST’s Secure Hash Standard. NIST describes the standard’s digests as a way to detect whether a message has changed since its digest was generated. Its hash-functions guidance gives SHA-256 a 256-bit output, 128-bit collision-resistance strength, and 256-bit preimage-resistance strength within that framework. See NIST’s Hash Functions guidance and the Secure Hash Standard.
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If a trusted source provides a SHA-256 digest separately from a download, calculate the file’s digest and compare the values. A match shows that the file agrees with the expected digest you used. It does not, by itself, prove who created the file.
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If an attacker can replace both the download and its published digest, the attacker can make the two match. For software downloads and security-sensitive archives, obtain the expected digest through a trustworthy channel; when source authenticity or protection from an active attacker matters, verify a digital signature or use another authenticated method.
Use xxHash for speed when cryptographic security is unnecessary
xxHash is a family of non-cryptographic hash functions. The project says it is “primarily designed for speed,” and its homepage recommends XXH3_64bits as a default. The versioned specification distinguishes several variants, including XXH32, XXH64, and XXH3 variants. Because recommendations and documentation can change, identify the variant and documentation version when compatibility matters. Start with the xxHash project homepage and its version 0.2.0 specification.
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The project explicitly warns against using xxHash for signatures, password storage, or other cases where an attacker can choose inputs and profit from a collision. It is not a security substitute for SHA-256. For non-adversarial workloads, select a variant that fits the required output width, runtime, and compatibility needs.
Do not treat benchmark results as a universal speed ranking
Hash speed depends on the algorithm variant, implementation, processor, compiler settings, input size, and workload. The xxHash project’s version 0.8.3 documentation reports XXH3_64bits with AVX2 at 59.4 GB/s for large data on an Intel i7-9700K running Ubuntu x64 20.04, using a benchmark program compiled with clang 10.0 and -O3. This is a project-published result under those conditions, not an independent test or a guarantee for another system or competing implementation. See the xxHash 0.8.3 documentation and benchmarks.
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If speed is important to your decision, benchmark the actual implementations on the hardware and data sizes you expect to use. Compare the same workload and settings rather than relying on one published number.
Make the choice compatible with your file format or protocol
Before integrating a hash, verify the exact algorithm variant, output representation, and any seed or configuration that applies. A 32-bit CRC, a particular xxHash variant, and a 256-bit SHA-256 digest are not interchangeable just because each produces a value that can be compared.
Quick Recap
- Follow a format or protocol’s specified checksum exactly.
- For xxHash, agree on the variant and any relevant configuration across every system that calculates or checks the value.
- For SHA-256, compare digests produced and represented in the same expected format.
- Use an authenticated mechanism when the expected value itself must be protected from replacement.
Which one should you use?
- Choose CRC-32 for accidental-error detection when the required format or protocol specifies a compatible CRC variant.
- Choose SHA-256 when a cryptographic hash is needed to check integrity, while remembering that a bare digest does not authenticate its source.
- Choose xxHash for high-speed non-cryptographic hashing when collisions are not an attack concern and all systems can use the same variant.
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