NIST is announcing that SHA-1 should be phased out by Dec. 31, 2030 (nist.gov)

Article summary

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced that the SHA-1 cryptographic algorithm should be phased out by December 31, 2030, due to its vulnerabilities. SHA-1 has been in use since 1995, but it is no longer considered secure. NIST recommends replacing SHA-1 with newer algorithms like SHA-2 and SHA-3. The phase-out is intended to ensure the security of electronic information.

Main themes

• SHA-1 phase-out
• Cryptographic algorithm security
• Error detection vs security
• Hash function alternatives
• Legacy system considerations
• Security vulnerabilities and risks

What commenters say

• SHA-1 is still suitable for non-security applications like detecting duplicate files, but not for security-related purposes.
• CRC is a better choice than SHA-1 for error detection, but not for security or integrity purposes.
• Using SHA-1 for new designs is not recommended due to its known attacks and vulnerabilities.
• There are faster and more secure hash functions available, such as SHA-2 and BLAKE3, which should be used instead of SHA-1.
• SHA-1's vulnerabilities make it unsuitable for protecting against malicious attacks, and it should be replaced with more secure algorithms.
• In some cases, using SHA-1 may be acceptable for legacy systems or non-security purposes, but it's still important to consider the potential risks and limitations.