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#Message Authentication Code

Found 2 articles with this tag.

A visual representation of the CMAC Algorithm

Message Authentication Codes Intermediate

CMAC: Cipher-Based Message Authentication

What if you already have AES in your system and don't want to bring in a separate hash function just for message authentication? CMAC builds a MAC directly from a block cipher instead.

August 4, 2026

A visual representation of the HMAC Algorithm

Message Authentication Codes Beginner

HMAC: Hash-Based Message Authentication

A hash alone can't prove a message wasn't tampered with — anyone can recompute it. HMAC fixes that by mixing in a secret key, becoming one of the most quietly essential building blocks in TLS, SSH, and beyond.

August 4, 2026