I came across this in my Blockchain college course and I thought it would be great to share with you all.

Blockchain uses multiple hashing functions to keep the data encrypted. The most notable is SHA256. But what is SHA256 and why should anyone care?

Image by: Chamsaccess.com
Blockchain uses Secure Hash Algorithm 256 SHA256, (among other hashing techniques to keep is safe), I wrote about this in a previous article:
https://steemit.com/bitcoin/@embomb701/chicken-little-always-says-the-sky-is-falling-don-t-be-fooled
Definition SHA256:
SHA-256 Cryptographic Hash Algorithm. A cryptographic hash (sometimes called 'digest') is a kind of 'signature' for a text or a data file. SHA-256 generates an almost-unique 256-bit (32-byte) signature for a text. This hashing method was developed by the NSA (National Security Agency).

But what does that all mean?

You can look at the definition all you want but until you actually see it in action you will not appreciate it, so take a look at this video where this "Mathlete" (Math Athlete), takes you through the process step by step with a pencil and paper:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=471&v=y3dqhixzGVo
You see all of the work he had to perform to perform 1 Hash? Well the fastest mining rig available can do all of that work 16 Trillion times per second! That is 12 zeros Trillion 1,000,000,000,000. That is a lot of computational power! Now that you understand the more complex part of it, and the strongest hashing function that makes up the larger part of Bitcoins ability to resist brute force attacks, lets look at it as a whole.

Now that you understand hashing lets look at how Blockchain as a whole works.

This software Blockshell downloadable from Github will allow you to build a mini blockchain and play with all of the separate aspects of it:

• Block & Chaining
• Hashing
• Mining
• Proof of Work

Understanding the concepts by looking at words on a screen helps, but actually going through the motions really lets you understand. To do this you will have to be using Linux or a Linux Virtual Machine. You can download a free linux VM from Virtual Box. https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
Simply follow the directions on the site and have fun while you learn. Hey if you master these basics then come up with a use for Blockchain that no one else has or a way to improve on, maybe you can start your own ICO!
https://github.com/rustielin/blockshell

image by: Spectrum.ieee.org

Thanks for reading!

By:
Embomb701 (Frank Aiello) 8/2/2018