8f0b85879d8878ba31ddec7beab14803ae973d930991330... ✦ Exclusive Deal

Websites (should) never store your actual password. Instead, they store the of your password. When you log in, the site hashes what you typed and compares it to the stored version. If they match, you’re in. If a hacker steals the database, all they get is a list of "smoothies"—not your actual "fruit." 3. The Backbone of Blockchain

The sequence you see is a . Specifically, it resembles a SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit) output. Hashing is a process that takes an input (like a word, a file, or a massive database) and turns it into a fixed-length string of characters. Think of it like a blender : You can put a strawberry in and get red smoothies. You can put a watermelon in and get a lot of red smoothie. 8f0b85879d8878ba31ddec7beab14803ae973d930991330...

But no matter how hard you try, you can’t "un-blend" the smoothie to get the original fruit back. Why Do We Use Them? Websites (should) never store your actual password

Have you ever encountered a long, garbled string of letters and numbers like 8f0b85879d8878ba31ddec7beab14803ae973d930991330... and wondered what it was? To the untrained eye, it looks like a glitch. To a developer or security expert, it is a . If they match, you’re in

The string you provided ( 8f0b85879d8878ba31ddec7beab14803ae973d930991330... ) appears to be a or a similar cryptographic identifier rather than a topical subject.

The next time you see a string like 8f0b85879d8878ba31ddec7beab14803ae973d930991330... , don't see random noise. See the that protects your identity, your money, and your privacy every time you click "send."

Check out these resources: Beginner's Guide to Cryptography How to Secure Your Website