Online Hash
Online hashing updates the digest as data arrives, without storing the full data, supporting streaming integrity verification.
Purpose
Maintains a hash in real time over network streams and sensor data, updating as data arrives without waiting for the complete dataset.
Mechanism
Maintains a running state h; on each new block m_i, executes h=f(h, m_i) (Merkle-Damgård style) or sponge absorption. The final h is the digest of all data.
Use cases
- Network stream verification
- Real-time data integrity
- Sensor data authentication