Is MD5 enough for my personal collection?

Bossner · 04 June 2016, 13:38

Hi I am using MD5 for my personal collection . I have some unique dump files . I am copying them to external harddrives for backup purpose . But before I copy them sometimes problems happening on my main machine like shut downs , freezes , etc . So basically I don't have any security concerns . My whole question about data corruption . Am I safe ? Is MD5 is enough for data corruption . Even after shut downs if MD5 hashes same , those files will be corrupt ? Thanks for the all answers .

idrougge · 04 June 2016, 17:42

Yes, it's safe.

Bossner · 04 June 2016, 17:46

Still some of the people saying MD5 is weak . You need SHA-2(512) or SHA-3(512)

robinsonb5 · 04 June 2016, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossner

Still some of the people saying MD5 is weak .

MD5 is weak if your goal is to prevent someone maliciously crafting a message that has a particular hash. If you're simply trying to catch file corruption it's adequate.

Bossner · 04 June 2016, 18:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by robinsonb5

MD5 is weak if your goal is to prevent someone maliciously crafting a message that has a particular hash. If you're simply trying to catch file corruption it's adequate.

But.. isn't MD5 also weaker as a checksum for data integrity vs other methods?
(aren't collisions just non-unique matches for both random or caused errors?)

mark_k · 04 June 2016, 20:12

MD5 is more than adequate for confirming data integrity, given that there's no-one secretly replacing files on your backup media with different files calculated to have the same MD5 checksums. In other words, the chance of two of your different files having the same MD5 checksum is vanishingly small.

hiho · 04 June 2016, 20:42

If you really want protection for critical files, use one of the PAR utilities to create a parity file set. The bigger your parity file set, the greater the amount of damage you can recover from.

cyc · 06 June 2016, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiho

If you really want protection for critical files, use one of the PAR utilities to create a parity file set.

Which one would you recommend?

hiho · 06 June 2016, 22:24

I primarily use QuickPar. There is also a newer program called MultiPar.

These are Windows programs.

04 June 2016, 13:38	#1
Bossner Registered User Join Date: May 2012 Location: Amalur Posts: 20	Is MD5 enough for my personal collection? Hi I am using MD5 for my personal collection . I have some unique dump files . I am copying them to external harddrives for backup purpose . But before I copy them sometimes problems happening on my main machine like shut downs , freezes , etc . So basically I don't have any security concerns . My whole question about data corruption . Am I safe ? Is MD5 is enough for data corruption . Even after shut downs if MD5 hashes same , those files will be corrupt ? Thanks for the all answers .

04 June 2016, 20:12	#6
mark_k Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Posts: 3,335	MD5 is more than adequate for confirming data integrity, given that there's no-one secretly replacing files on your backup media with different files calculated to have the same MD5 checksums. In other words, the chance of two of your different files having the same MD5 checksum is vanishingly small. Last edited by mark_k; 04 June 2016 at 22:34.

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04 June 2016, 17:42	#2
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	Yes, it's safe.

04 June 2016, 17:46	#3
Bossner Registered User Join Date: May 2012 Location: Amalur Posts: 20	Still some of the people saying MD5 is weak . You need SHA-2(512) or SHA-3(512)

04 June 2016, 20:42	#7
hiho Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Antonio, USA Posts: 74	If you really want protection for critical files, use one of the PAR utilities to create a parity file set. The bigger your parity file set, the greater the amount of damage you can recover from.

06 June 2016, 22:24	#9
hiho Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Antonio, USA Posts: 74	I primarily use QuickPar. There is also a newer program called MultiPar. These are Windows programs.

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