Whirlpool
Whirlpool is a 512-bit hash function designed by Vincent Rijmen and Paulo Barreto, based on the Square/Miyaguchi-Preneel construction; a NESSIE-recommended algorithm.
Purpose
Provides a 512-bit secure hash based on the AES-related W permutation.
Mechanism
Based on the Miyaguchi-Preneel construction; the compression function uses the AES-like W permutation (10 rounds, state 8×8 bytes). Input passes through message scheduling and the W permutation to update the 512-bit state. NESSIE-recommended but not widely deployed.
Use cases
- NESSIE-recommended hash
- Streebog alternative research
- Cryptographic diversity
- High-security research
Examples
- Input
helloOutput3a3a3a3a3a3a3a3a...512-bit output
Common errors
- Poor performance on platforms without hardware acceleration
- Use SHA-512 or BLAKE2
Related terms
SHA-512
SHA-512 is the 512-bit-output member of the SHA-2 family; faster than SHA-256 on 64-bit platforms, providing a higher security margin. GLOSSARY
SHA-3 (Keccak)
SHA-3 is the hash standard based on the Keccak sponge construction; structurally entirely different from SHA-2, it serves as a fallback in case SHA-2 is broken. GLOSSARY
BLAKE2
BLAKE2 is a hash function designed by Jean-Philippe Aumasson et al.; faster than MD5 with security comparable to SHA-3, a high-performance alternative to SHA-2/3. GLOSSARY