Definition ∞ SHA256 hash refers to a specific cryptographic function producing a fixed-size output from any input data. This function takes an input of arbitrary length and outputs a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value, a seemingly random string of characters. It possesses critical cryptographic properties, including collision resistance and the hiding property, making it computationally infeasible to find two different inputs that produce the same output. SHA256 is fundamental to blockchain security, used for tasks such as creating block headers and verifying transaction integrity.
Context ∞ SHA256 is a cornerstone of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work consensus mechanism and remains a widely trusted cryptographic primitive across the digital asset landscape. News frequently mentions SHA256 in discussions about blockchain security, mining difficulty, and the underlying cryptographic foundations of various cryptocurrencies. Its continued resilience against computational attacks is a critical factor for the security of many decentralized networks.
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