HMAC

Jan 1, 0001

Definition

HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) is a cryptographic mechanism that combines a cryptographic hash function with a secret key to provide both data integrity and authenticity. It is widely used in various security protocols and systems to ensure that a message has not been altered and that it originates from a legitimate source. HMAC is resistant to certain types of cryptographic attacks, such as collision and pre-image attacks, due to the inclusion of a secret key in the hashing process.

Secure Settings Example

import hmac
import hashlib

# Secure HMAC configuration using SHA-256
secret_key = b'supersecretkey'
message = b'Important message'

# Create HMAC object
hmac_obj = hmac.new(secret_key, message, hashlib.sha256)
hmac_digest = hmac_obj.hexdigest()

print("Secure HMAC Digest:", hmac_digest)

Insecure Settings Example

import hmac
import hashlib

# Insecure HMAC configuration using MD5 (considered weak)
secret_key = b'supersecretkey'
message = b'Important message'

# Create HMAC object using MD5
hmac_obj = hmac.new(secret_key, message, hashlib.md5)
hmac_digest = hmac_obj.hexdigest()

print("Insecure HMAC Digest:", hmac_digest)