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How to Identify a File's SHA-256 Hash for Security Applications

Summary: Learn about how to identify a file’s SHA-256 hash by following these instructions. Hashes can be used to exclude a file in security applications.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Symptoms

A secure hash algorithm (SHA)-256 hash may be required to exclude a file from an anti-virus or malware prevention application. This article discusses how to identify the SHA-256 hash for a file on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Affected Operating Systems:

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux

Cause

Not applicable

Resolution

Click Windows, macOS, or Linux for the process to identify the file's SHA-256 hash.

Windows

  1. Right-click the Windows Start menu and then click Run.

Run

  1. In the Run UI, type cmd and then press OK.

Run UI

  1. In Command Prompt, browse to the location of the appropriate [FILENAME].
Note: [FILENAME] = Name of file.
  1. Type CertUtil -hashfile [FILENAME] SHA256 and then press Enter.

CertUtil

Note: [FILENAME] used in the example may differ in your environment.
  1. Record the file’s SHA-256 hash. In the example, 5e71d4ffc3a0723b1bcca206fd14c0e217f6d9beb33a5b327ea251d3a54df5af is the file’s SHA-256.

SHA-256 hash

Note: The SHA-256 hash in the example may differ in your environment.

macOS

  1. Select Go, then Utilities, and then Terminal.

Terminal

  1. Double-click Terminal to launch the UI.
  2. In terminal, browse to the location of the appropriate [FILENAME].
Note: [FILENAME] = Name of file.
  1. In Terminal, type sudo shasum -a 256 [FILENAME] and then press Enter.
  2. Populate the Password for the account being used and then press Enter.

Password

Note: [FILENAME] used in the example may differ in your environment.
  1. Record the file’s SHA-256 hash. In the example, 56429c53bff44bbf21527f0bf13a27bc20ceff42160d3170287af6d50da195623 is the file’s SHA-256.

SHA-256 hash

Note: The SHA-256 hash in the example may differ in your environment.

Linux

  1. Open Terminal.

Terminal

  1. In Terminal, browse to the appropriate [FILENAME].
Note: [FILENAME] = Name of file.
  1. Type sudo sha256sum [FILENAME] and then press Enter.
  2. Populate the password for the account being used and then press Enter.

Password

  1. Record the file’s SHA-256 hash. In the example, 4167b599f36af0781b81563bd2179a6d35daa3145f0b6f99ac6d9ee1894b516a is the file’s SHA-256.

SHA-256

Note: The [FILENAME] and SHA-256 hash in the example may differ in your environment.

To contact support, reference Dell Data Security International Support Phone Numbers.
Go to TechDirect to generate a technical support request online.
For additional insights and resources, join the Dell Security Community Forum.

Affected Products

Dell Encryption
Article Properties
Article Number: 000130826
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 13 Nov 2023
Version:  8
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