Cryptographic hashes, in plain language
A cryptographic hash is a fingerprint for one exact file. Make & Protect uses SHA-256, a current standard.
How to think about it
A hash identifies this exact file. Even a small change — a re-save, a recompression, a single pixel — produces a completely different hash. That makes it perfect for proving “this is the exact file I registered,” and useless for recognizing a resized copy.
What it’s good for
Confirming a file is unchanged, matching a discovered file against your registered original, and anchoring timestamps and signed records.