MD4 Hash Generator

Cryptography Guide

Understanding MD4 Hashing

MD4 (Message Digest Algorithm 4) is a cryptographic hash function that produces a 128-bit (16-byte) hash value. It was designed by Ronald Rivest in 1990 and was the predecessor to MD5. However, MD4 is now considered cryptographically broken and should not be used for security purposes.

MD4 Hash Characteristics:

Fixed Length: Always produces a 32-character hexadecimal string
Deterministic: Same input always produces the same hash
Fast Computation: Very quick to calculate, making it suitable for checksums
Avalanche Effect: Small input changes result in dramatically different hashes
One-Way Function: Computationally infeasible to reverse
Legacy Algorithm: Predecessor to MD5 and SHA-1
Cryptographically Broken: Vulnerable to collision attacks

Common Use Cases:

Legacy Systems: Compatibility with older systems that use MD4
Educational Purposes: Understanding hash function evolution
Non-Security Applications: Simple checksums where security is not a concern
Historical Analysis: Analyzing old cryptographic implementations
Research: Cryptographic research and vulnerability analysis

Security Warning: MD4 is cryptographically broken and should NEVER be used for security purposes. It's vulnerable to collision attacks and has been completely compromised. This tool is provided for educational and legacy compatibility purposes only. For any security-critical applications, use SHA-256, SHA-3, or other secure hash functions.

Understanding MD4 Hashing

MD4 Hash Characteristics:

Common Use Cases:

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