Hashing Algorithm Investigation: Characteristics and Requirements of SHA3

This document provides an investigation into the characteristics and requirements of the SHA3 algorithm, a hashing algorithm used for data security. It discusses the generation of encoded algorithms of fixed length, hardware and software efficiency, and the comparison of SHA3 with SHA1 and SHA2. The document also includes a case project and a research project on fraud investigation.

Running head: ITC597 - DIGITAL FORENSICS
Assessment 2 - Tasks and Research Project
ITC597 - Digital Forensics
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Task 1: Hashing Algorithm investigation
1.1 Illustration about Hashing Algorithm
The hashing algorithm operations is considered as one of the procedure of data
security that assists in offering security to the different types of data as well as information
with the help of appropriate technique of encryption. The major important procedure that is
utilized in order to provide proper security to the various targeted information generally helps
in generating a proper algorithm for a specific size of data and this type of algorithm is
mainly known as the hash algorithm (Jin et al., 2014). The term “hashing” generally assists in
converting a large information size into small code of encryption that helps in enhancing the
transaction process of information with very much high security. This is further considered as
one of the important aspect of algorithm when the entire information is properly encoded
with the help of proper hash function that can be accessed or can be modified.
The procedure of encryption is generally started by developing a key point index that
will be required during the time of decoding when the information and data will be decrypted.
It is found that along with that, all the information generally has own keys of decryption and
therefore any random key can be helpful in decrypting any type of random information as
well as data.
1.2 Requirement and characteristics of SHA3 algorithm
Characteristics
SHA3 generally stands for Secure Hash Algorithm within the field of hashing
Algorithm as well as Hash functions. It is found that SHA3 are quite significant in context to
Hashing algorithm so that the information security can be successfully published with the
help of the NIST (Dilli & Reddy, 2016). With the help of proper comparison with the
algorithm, it is analysed that there are a number of similarity between SHA-3 and SHA0-2 in

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context to the has security key length. But there are number of challenges or limitation that
are mainly seen within the code structure as there are some limitations that generally exists
between the encrypted structure. The characteristics of the aspects that are generally reflected
above are illustrated below:
 It is identified that unidirectional function is one of the important characteristics SHA-
3 algorithm
 It is found that the algorithm is helpful in generating encoded algorithm of fixed
length as it only supports 512 bits, 256 bits, 224 bits and 384 bits (Zhu, Zhu & Wang,
2018).
 It generally comprises of a number of effective efficiency of the hardware
 The efficiency of the software is not appropriate that is mainly utilized
 SHA-3 generally needs much more effective technology of data compressing along
with all the expected that are illustrated above.
Requirement
By considering various characteristics as well as features of the hash function it is
found that there are a number of requirements that are generally needed. The requirements
mainly include the addition of both software as well as hardware that further includes various
types of features in order to select proper hardware as well as software. With the custom code
development, it is very much important to properly use the algorithm of hash. In addition to
this, it is found that it generally needs proper structure of the firmware for effectively
executing the algorithm of hash.
1.4 SHA3 comparison with SHA1 and SHA2
No. Secure Hashing Algorithm-1 Secure Hashing
Algorithm-2
Secure Hashing
Algorithm-3

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1. In this procedure of encryption,
this specific algorithm generally
helps in generating an output of
size around 160.
In this particular
security procedure,
the output which is
generated will be
around 256 bits as
well as 224 bits.
In this specific
procedure of
encryption, the
output size which is
generally generated
id of the size 256
bits, 224 bits, 512
bits as well as 384
bits and it totally
depend on the
targeted information
size (Dworkin,
2015).
2. The internal state size will be
around 160
It is found that in
this specific
algorithm, 256 is
the size of the
internal state.
It is identified that
this particular
algorithm generally
holds 1600 size
within the internal
state.
3. It is found that for finishing the
procedure of encryption generally
takes 80 rounds.
It is found that 80
rounds are used by
SHA-2 in order to
finish the entire
encryption
procedure (Guesmi
It is identified that
in order to finish the
procedure of
encryption, 24
rounds are generally
needed which is

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et al., 2016). quite high as
compared to other
algorithm and this it
is considered to be
time consuming
(Laxmi &
Chilambuchelvan,
2017).

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Task 2: Case Project
Hands-on Project 4-3

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In order to analyse the image that is generally named as” terry-work-usb-2009-12-11.
E01” it is found that OSForsenic software is mainly utilized that helps in analyzing as well as
extracting the information that is related digital evidence. The software is unable to properly
uncover various types of information in order to properly manage the files that is mainly
present within the storage device of the computer. It is further utilized for the procedure of
extraction, acquisition as well as restoring images. The hands that is present on the project is
quite helpful in properly covering the various capabilities of OSForsenic in order to properly
manage the entire case option that is generally utilized. The author that generally performs
the analysis is mainly inputted during the development of the case such that it generally helps
in saving the case which is generally selected.
Task 3: Research project
It is quite necessary to determine the fraud actions for properly enhancing the
performance of the organization. It is analysed that appropriate investigation on the basis of
fraud is mainly done by successfully gathering the evidence that is generally needed in order
to properly gather the data which further includes the statements of the various stakeholders.

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With the help of the particular procedure, proper verification as well as reporting is generally
determined during the section of evidence collection. Moreover, it is found that in the entire
procedure of investigation, the features as well as procedures of the hash functions are
generally helpful in checking the integrity of the data that is mainly stored. Therefore, for
processing the digital forensic investigation, the image that is created with the replica is
generally stored for performing the entire procedure of investigation.

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Reference:
Dilli, R., & Reddy, P. C. S. (2016, October). Implementation of security features in MANETs
using SHA-3 standard algorithm. In 2016 International Conference on Computation
System and Information Technology for Sustainable Solutions (CSITSS)(pp. 455-458).
IEEE.
Dworkin, M. J. (2015). SHA-3 standard: Permutation-based hash and extendable-output
functions (No. Federal Inf. Process. Stds.(NIST FIPS)-202).
Guesmi, R., Farah, M. A. B., Kachouri, A., & Samet, M. (2016). A novel chaos-based image
encryption using DNA sequence operation and Secure Hash Algorithm SHA-
2. Nonlinear Dynamics, 83(3), 1123-1136.
Jin, Z., Li, C., Lin, Y., & Cai, D. (2014). Density sensitive hashing. IEEE transactions on
cybernetics, 44(8), 1362-1371.
Laxmi, B. P., & Chilambuchelvan, A. (2017). GSR: Geographic Secured Routing using
SHA-3 algorithm for node and message authentication in wireless sensor
networks. Future Generation Computer Systems, 76, 98-105.
Zhu, S., Zhu, C., & Wang, W. (2018). A new image encryption algorithm based on chaos and
secure hash SHA-256. Entropy, 20(9), 716.