SHA-384 Hash Generator Online — Free SHA-384 Checksum Tool
Use this free online SHA-384 hash generator to compute a SHA-384 checksum from any text string or file — simply paste your input or upload a local or remote file and get the 96-character hex digest in seconds.
What is SHA-384?
SHA-384 is a cryptographic hash function from the SHA-2 family, standardised by NIST in FIPS PUB 180-4. It produces a fixed-length 384-bit (96 hex character) digest and is derived from the same internal structure as SHA-512 — using 64-bit word operations — but with a different initialisation vector and a truncated output. Because of its 64-bit word arithmetic, SHA-384 is often faster than SHA-256 on 64-bit processors. Like all SHA-2 variants, no practical collision has ever been demonstrated against SHA-384, making it substantially stronger than the older MD5 and SHA-1 algorithms.
What is SHA-384 used for?
SHA-384 strikes a practical balance between security margin and digest size, and is widely used in:
- TLS/SSL certificates — many certificate authorities sign with SHA-384 for high-assurance certificates.
- File integrity verification — software publishers publish SHA-384 checksums so users can confirm a downloaded file has not been tampered with.
- Digital signatures — used alongside ECDSA and RSA in document signing and code signing workflows.
- HMAC authentication — keyed-hash message authentication codes (HMAC-SHA-384) protect API payloads and secure tokens.
- Government and compliance contexts — NIST and NSA Suite B guidance recommends SHA-384 for protecting information at higher classification levels.
SHA-384 vs other SHA-2 variants
SHA-256 outputs 256 bits and is the most widely deployed variant; SHA-384 adds an extra security margin useful when long-term resistance to future attacks is a priority. SHA-512 outputs the full 512-bit digest from the same algorithm core as SHA-384 but is larger. If you need broader compatibility (e.g. most web PKI) choose SHA-256; choose SHA-384 or SHA-512 when policy or risk appetite demands a larger margin. All three are considered secure for current use — unlike MD5 and SHA-1, which are broken for collision resistance and must not be used for security-critical purposes.
Frequently asked questions
What does a SHA-384 hash look like?
A SHA-384 digest is always exactly 96 hexadecimal characters long (384 bits). For example, hashing an empty string produces 38b060a751ac96384cd9327eb1b1e36a21fdb71114be0743… (96 chars total). The output is deterministic — the same input always gives the same hash.
Is SHA-384 secure enough for my use case?
Yes — SHA-384 is part of the SHA-2 family and remains cryptographically secure with no known practical attacks as of 2026. It is suitable for digital signatures, TLS, and integrity verification. It is not a password-hashing function; for storing passwords use a dedicated algorithm such as bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2.
What is HMAC and how does it work with SHA-384?
HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) combines a secret key with the hash function to produce an authentication tag. HMAC-SHA-384 lets you verify both the integrity and the authenticity of a message — only someone who knows the key can reproduce the tag. This tool supports HMAC: just enter your key in the provided field.
Is this SHA-384 tool free to use?
Yes, completely free. No account, subscription, or software installation is required — open the page and start hashing immediately.
Are uploaded files stored or shared?
No. Files you upload are processed on the server solely to compute the hash and are deleted automatically afterwards. They are never stored permanently or shared with third parties.