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Which algorithm produces a 128-bit hash value?

  1. SHA-256

  2. SHA-512

  3. MD5

  4. AES

The correct answer is: MD5

The algorithm that produces a 128-bit hash value is MD5 (Message-Digest Algorithm 5). MD5 was designed by Ronald Rivest in 1991 and produces a fixed-length 128-bit hash value, typically represented as a 32-character hexadecimal number. Its primary purpose is to ensure data integrity by generating a unique hash for data input, allowing users to check for changes or corruption. In terms of context, SHA-256 and SHA-512 are cryptographic hash functions from the SHA-2 family; SHA-256 produces a 256-bit hash, while SHA-512 produces a 512-bit hash. AES, or Advanced Encryption Standard, is actually a symmetric encryption algorithm rather than a hashing algorithm, used for encrypting data rather than generating hash values. Therefore, among the given options, MD5 is the only algorithm that generates a 128-bit hash value.