Question

This hash function uses 512-bit blocks and implements preset constants that change after each repetition. Each block is hashed into a 256-bit block through four branches that divides each 512 block into sixteen 32-bit words that are further encrypted and rearranged. Because the four branches are used in parallel, whereas SHA-256 uses four serial rounds, ____________ is hard to analyze. A) SHA-1

B) SHA-256

C) SHA-512

D) MD5

Answer 1

The answer is SHA-512, which uses 512-bit blocks and operates with parallel branches, making it more complex and harder to analyze compared to other hash functions like SHA-1 or SHA-256.

Step-by-step explanation:

The hash function described in the question uses 512-bit blocks and appears to operate with parallel branches rather than serially, which is distinct from the algorithms used in SHA-1 or SHA-256. By matching the attributes mentioned in the question, specifically the parallel branches and the block size, we can identify the correct option as SHA-512. This algorithm is part of the SHA-2 family, which includes SHA-256 as well, but SHA-512 uses larger blocks and produces larger digests. The complexity and structure of SHA-512 make it more complicated to analyze compared to its counterparts.