genhash

genhash is a command-line utility designed to generate cryptographic hash values for given input data. It functions similarly to other hashing tools like md5sum or sha1sum, but it may support multiple hash algorithms and configurable options. Typically, genhash can be used to compute a hash digest for a file or standard input, which is useful for verifying data integrity and consistency.

Key Features

• Multiple Algorithm Support: Depending on the implementation, genhash can support various hash algorithms (e.g., MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256). You may be able to specify which algorithm to use via command-line options.

• File and Standard Input Processing: It can compute hash values for files by taking file names as input or by reading data from standard input.

• Output Formatting: The output typically consists of the hash digest, which can then be compared against known values for integrity verification.

Basic Usage

A typical command line usage might be:

genhash -a sha256 filename.txt

• -a, --algorithm: Specifies the hash algorithm to use (e.g., md5, sha1, sha256).

• filename.txt: The file for which to compute the hash. If no file is provided, genhash may read from standard input.

For example, to compute a SHA-256 hash of data provided via a pipe:

echo "sample data" | genhash -a sha256

This command will output the SHA-256 hash for "sample data".

Example Output

When you run a command like:

genhash -a md5 example.txt

The output might look like:

d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e  example.txt

This indicates the MD5 hash of example.txt along with the file name.

Use Cases

• Data Integrity Verification: Compare computed hash values with known checksums to verify that files have not been corrupted or tampered with.

• Software Distribution: Generate hashes for software packages so that users can verify downloads against published checksums.

• Scripting and Automation: Integrate genhash in scripts to automate integrity checks for backups, file transfers, or system monitoring.

Conclusion

genhash is a versatile tool for generating hash digests from input data, similar to well-known utilities like md5sum and sha256sum. Its support for multiple algorithms and straightforward usage makes it a useful utility for verifying file integrity and ensuring data consistency.

For more detailed documentation and options, refer to the specific version’s man page or official documentation provided with the utility.