A fixed-length data item that is sent together with a message to ensure integrity, also known as a MIC.
A message digest (MD) produced from a secret key and sent along with a message. It ensures that the message has not been corrupted in transit, either accidentally or maliciously, and that the creator of the message digest is a particular person, company, or other entity.
A data field, the contents of which can be used to verify the integrity of a message, or selected message elements. ISO
(MAC) A keyed hashing algorithm that uses a symmetric session key to help ensure that a block of data has retained its integrity from the time it was sent until the time it was received. When using this type of algorithm, the receiving application must also possess the session key to recompute the hash value so it can verify that the base data has not changed. CryptoAPI references this algorithm by its type (CALG_MAC), name (MAC), and class (ALG_CLASS_HASH).
The result of passing a digital message or a set of data content through an algorithm and a Secret key to produce a unique code for every digital message. The recipient can use the same algorithm and securely held Secret key to confirm that the data content has not been altered in communication from the point of origin.
A Message Authentication Code is a one-way hash computed from a message and some secret data. Its purpose is to detect if the message has been altered.
MAC provides assurance of data integrity and authenticates data origin. MAC does not protect against eavesdropping.
A function that takes a message and a secret key (and possibly a nonce) and produces an output that cannot, in practice, be forged without posessing the secret key.
Also known as data authentication code (DAC). A checksumming with the addition of a secret key. Only someone with the key can verify the cryptographic checksum.
The symmetric-key equivalent of a digital signature. MACs do not hide data, but they let someone who knows the key know whether it has been modified.
An algorithm that ensures the quality of a block of data.
A MAC is a function that takes a variable length input and a key to produce a fixed-length output. See also hash-based MAC, stream-cipher based MAC, and block-cipher based MAC.
A unique sequence/code of digits generated by a mathematical combination of a message's cryptographic key and a message's content which allows message authentication and integrity verification.
A cryptographic message authentication code (MAC) is a short piece of information used to authenticate a message. A MAC algorithm accepts as input a secret key and an arbitrary-length message to be authenticated, and outputs a MAC (sometimes known as a tag). The MAC value protects both a message's integrity as well as its authenticity, by allowing verifiers (who also possess the secret key) to detect any changes to the message content.