MAC (message)
Message Authentication Code
A short tag that verifies a message's integrity and authenticity.
A Message Authentication Code is a short tag computed from a message and a shared secret key that verifies both integrity and authenticity, confirming the data was not altered and came from a party holding the key. HMAC is a widely used construction built on a hash function. Unlike a digital signature, a symmetric MAC does not provide non repudiation, since both sender and receiver share the same key. It also differs from a plain hash, which alone offers no authentication.
Message Authentication Code: a tag that proves a message integrity and authenticity.
Looking MAC (message) up is step one. Getting tested on it is step two.
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