O(K)hash

Introduction

O(K)hash (pronounced OK hash or oꭓash) is a hash function with $O(1)$ complexity based on SHA-256. It is designed to efficiently calculate hashes for large files by reading only a fixed subset of data from random positions within the file. The 'K' parameter denotes the strength of the hashing, with lower values reading less data. For example, a hash with K=1 reads only 1KiB of data, while a hash with K=2 reads 1MiB of data. The hash results are downgradable, meaning a hash of strength K=3 can validate a file hash calculated with K=1.

Rational

Calculating the hash of a large file normally involves reading the entire file, which can be time-consuming, especially with slow I/O operations. O(K)hash addresses this issue by reading a fixed number of bytes from random positions inside the file, providing a constant time complexity of $O(1)$. This approach generates a reliable fingerprint for identifying duplicate files and validating files efficiently.

Limitations

After all, it's just an OK hash:

• Not Suitable for Detecting Corruptions: O(K)hash is not suitable for detecting file corruptions that do not change the size of the file. In the case of a bit flip or small corruptions, the probability of detecting corruption is lower than: $\frac{base size}{file size}$.
• Consider File Size Checking: Depending on the nature and number of large files you are working with, it may be more effective to check the file size before calculating a conventional hash to ensure data integrity.

Quickstart

Installation

You can install O(K)hash using pip:

pip install okhash

Usage

• Calculate O(K)Hash of a String:

  import okhash
  
  data = "Hello, world!"
  checksum = okhash.okhash(data.encode('utf-8'), K=3)
  print(checksum.hex())
  

• Calculate & compare O(K)Hash of Files:

  import okhash
  
  file1_checksum = okhash.okhash_filepath("file1.bin")
  file2_checksum = okhash.okhash_filepath("file2.bin")
  
  if okhash.compare_okhashes(file1_checksum, file2_checksum):
      print("Checksums match.")
  else:
      print("Checksums do not match.")
  

Command Line Usage

• Calculate Checksums: To calculate checksums for a file with a specified K value (default is K=2), use the following command:

  python3 -m okhash -K 3 file.bin
  

• Check Checksums: The result of the previous command can be used to check checksums for multiple files:

  python3 -m okhash *.bin > okhashes.txt
  python3 -m okhash --check okhashes.txt
  

• Additional Options:

  python3 -m okhash --help
  

The Strengths (K)

Here's a table describing the strengths (K) and their corresponding parameters:

The minimum file size for a given K is equal to twice the base size; otherwise, the hash calculation will resort to SHA-256 for the entire file.

License

O(K)hash is released under the MIT License.