MD5 vs SHA-256

MD5 was designed for speed decades ago and is now broken for collision resistance: researchers can craft two different inputs that produce the same digest. That breaks digital signatures, certificates, and any scheme relying on unique fingerprints. By contrast, SHA-256 remains collision-resistant and widely trusted in modern systems.

If you only need a quick checksum in non-adversarial contexts, you might see legacy MD5 usage. However, for security-sensitive integrity use cases, prefer SHA-256 or add a keyed MAC like HMAC-SHA256. For passwords, use a KDF such as PBKDF2 rather than plain hashes.

Related tools

Try: SHA-256, HMAC-SHA256, PBKDF2

FAQ

Is MD5 still safe for any use?

MD5 is unsafe for collision resistance and must not be used for signatures, certificates, or integrity in adversarial settings. It may be acceptable for non-adversarial checksums, but prefer modern hashes.

How do I migrate from MD5 to SHA-256?

Start computing SHA-256 alongside MD5, store both during a transition period, update clients and APIs to read SHA-256, then deprecate MD5 once compatibility is assured.