This tool generate the MD4 hash of a string.

For security purpose, this tool is written in JavaScript. The entire process runs on your computer, inside your browser. The generated hash do not travel over the Internet and are not known by the server.

MD4 is the fourth evolved version of Message Digest algorithm. It was designed at MIT by Professor Ronald Rivest in the nineties. The MD4 algorithm uses a cryptographic has which is used for checking the messages for integrity. The digest is 128 bits in length. The algorithm has provided a framework which has been helpful in designing more algorithms like the SHA, RIPEMD and MD5 algorithm. It has been also used in Windows Vista, XP and NT in computing NT hash password digests.

MD4 is the precedent of MD5, which is still considered a very stable and stable hashing algorithm by network experts all across the globe. MD4 algorithm is very helpful in verifying data integrity through creating a 128-bit long message digest from the original message of any length. The message digest hence generated is unique to the message and could be used as fingerprint to the specific data. This could be further used for verifying the authenticity of transferred data offline or through software embedded with MD4 checksum algorithm.

Originally intended for being used with digital signature applications, MD4 helped in encrypting the compressed large files with high degree of security. It is known that any two strings cannot generate the same message digest; hence it is practically impossible to break the 128 bit long code even through brute force methods. MD4 proved a major advantage over its predecessor MD2 by providing a 128 bit secret key rather than 8-bit provided by latter. MD5 is considered to a higher security algorithm than MD4, but it still lacks in speed and stability over MD4 methods. Also, MD4 is optimized for high speed 32-bit machines as compared to MD2 and it proves to be one of the fastest and secure algorithms in the market till date.

The MD4 algorithm has been specially designed to give an optimally fast performance on 32-bit computers. Moreover, the major advantage of MD4 algorithm is that it does not require large substitution tables for usage and the algorithm could be embedded without much complexity.

The algorithm has special uses for everyone. For example, p2p clients like eDonkey, Kazaa and eMule use MD4 algorithm to verify the integrity of transferred files and show an error if the file is corrupt. Downloading websites provide the MD4 check-sum string which could be verified by the client after completing the download of the file. Rsync protocol also makes use of MD4 algorithm. Using the algorithm in your software or web applications means an extra level of security for clients, which everyone is concerned about in today’s world. A secure application would appeal more to customers as well as the database guys as MD4 could provide a check at the time of transfer, internal or external, keeping the data corruption free.

Here is MD4 hash generator for you to try out and get a feel of the powerful algorithm at work.