# Data Integrity

### Data Integrity

For example, Bob wants to download the most recent version of Debian Linux so he goes to [debian.org](https://www.debian.org/) and downloads an .iso file for the version of Debian Linux he would like to use. However, he wants to be sure he’s downloaded the correct file before running it to minimize the risk the file has malware embedded in it. Before running the .iso file, Bob checks the website for a checksum or message digest corresponding to the version of the file he downloaded, and he finds the following listed:

```markup
c685b85cf9f248633ba3cd2b9f9e781fa03225587e0c332aef2063f6877a1f0622f56d44cf0690087b0ca36883147ecb5593e3da6f965968402cdbdf12f6dd74  debian-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso 
f2da0996196f19585b464e48bfb6b8e4938eb596667d92a5ebd428e1a88a1a115c00f1d052f350eca44fa08f42f0500c63351763dfb47f1e1783f917590c175d  debian-edu-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso 
9b5b0475fbb3235ebb7da71415f10921b02131b7debc9325403f85f9f6798a3e902d6257831a7ec9c7aef3256817fb76c4f01bb5d035bfcdb3dc24da24fa1bda  debian-mac-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso
```

Seeing the listed checksums were generated using the SHA-512 hash function, Bob then runs his newly downloaded .iso file through the SHA-512 hash function on his computer to make sure the output matches one of the provided hashes:

```markup
openssl sha512 ~/Downloads/debian-11.2.0-amd64-netinst 

//Output: SHA512(debian-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso)= c685b85cf9f248633ba3cd2b9f9e781fa03225587e0c332aef2063f6877a1f0622f56d44cf0690087b0ca36883147ecb5593e3da6f965968402cdbdf12f6dd74
```

And, sure enough, the output checksum matches one of the given checksums on the Debian website, so Bob can be reasonably sure the file he has downloaded is safe to open.


---

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