🔐BLAKE2 Hash Function

NEW

Also known as: BLAKE2

A fast cryptographic hash function succeeding BLAKE, providing strong security, keyed hashing, and parallel variants.

DESCRIPTION

BLAKE2 is a modern cryptographic hash function designed to be faster than MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-2 while maintaining strong security properties comparable to SHA-3. It comes in variants like BLAKE2b (64-bit) and BLAKE2s (32-bit), with tree-hashing options (BLAKE2bp, BLAKE2sp) for parallelism. BLAKE2 also supports keyed hashing, personalization, and salting, making it suitable for MAC constructions and domain separation. Standardized in RFC 7693, it is widely implemented in libraries such as OpenSSL and libsodium. Common use cases include integrity checks, content-addressed storage, and secure password hashing frameworks (e.g., Argon2 uses BLAKE2 internally).

ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS

RFC 7693 (IETF)

This document describes the BLAKE2 cryptographic hash function.

Formal specification statement introducing BLAKE2 in an Internet Standard track RFC.

Source

BLAKE2 Project

BLAKE2 is a cryptographic hash function faster than MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-2, yet provides security similar to SHA-3.

Emphasizes performance advantage over older hashes and comparable security to SHA-3.

Source

Wikipedia

BLAKE2 is an improved version of BLAKE, one of the five finalists of the NIST SHA-3 competition.

Positions BLAKE2 as the successor to BLAKE and relates it to the SHA-3 competition context.

Source

RELATED TERMS

Cryptographic Hash Function MAC HMAC Salting Argon2 Hash Collision Merkle Tree Digital Signature

COMPETING TERMS

SHA-3 BLAKE3

RELATIONS

• Broader: Cryptographic Hash Function Hash Function

KNOWLEDGE AREAS

Data Security Software Engineering Infrastructure

TARGET AUDIENCE

Cybersecurity Engineer Security Architect Software Developer Cloud Architect Chief Information Security Officer

EXTERNAL SOURCES

• Wikipedia - BLAKE (hash function)
• RFC 7693 - Official BLAKE2 specification
• BLAKE2 Project - Project overview and reference code
• OpenSSL - OpenSSL BLAKE2 algorithm usage
• libsodium - BLAKE2 generic hashing API

TOP QUESTIONS

What is BLAKE2 Hash Function used for?

BLAKE2 is used for fast, secure hashing in integrity checks, digital signatures, keyed MACs, and content addressing. It is commonly available in security libraries and modern systems.

Category: Usage

How does BLAKE2 compare to SHA-3?

BLAKE2 is typically faster in software than SHA-3 and offers comparable security for many applications. SHA-3 remains a NIST standard and may be preferred for compliance.

Category: Comparison

What are BLAKE2b and BLAKE2s?

BLAKE2b targets 64-bit platforms with better throughput; BLAKE2s is optimized for 8- to 32-bit platforms and SIMD. Both provide strong security and feature parity.

Category: Definition

Does BLAKE2 support keyed hashing?

Yes. BLAKE2 supports an optional key parameter for MAC-like functionality without requiring HMAC construction, enabling efficient message authentication.

Category: Capabilities

Is BLAKE2 standardized?

Yes. BLAKE2 is specified in RFC 7693, and widely implemented in OpenSSL, libsodium, and other cryptographic libraries.

Category: Standards

What is the main risk when using BLAKE2?

Improper parameterization or homegrown protocol design can compromise security. Use vetted libraries and follow best practices for salting, keys, and domain separation.

Category: Risk

How does BLAKE2 relate to BLAKE3?

BLAKE3 is a successor emphasizing parallelism and simplicity. Its design differs, but both are fast, secure hash functions suited for modern CPUs.

Category: Evolution

Where should I start learning BLAKE2?

Begin with RFC 7693 and the official blake2.net documentation, then explore usage examples in OpenSSL or libsodium.

Category: GettingStarted

Is BLAKE2 collision-resistant enough for production?

Yes, when used correctly with recommended parameters. There are no practical collision attacks against BLAKE2’s core primitives known today.

Category: Security