# The False Allure of Hashing for Anonymization

DevFeed: [The False Allure of Hashing for Anonymization](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-false-allure-of-hashing-for-anonymization-29671.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://goteleport.com/blog/hashing-for-anonymization/>)

Author: info@goteleport.com (Kevin Nisbet)

Published: 2018-04-30T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Teleport](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/teleport.md>)

Topics: [hashing](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hashing.md>), [Cryptography](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cryptography.md>), [Security, Privacy and Abuse Prevention](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security-privacy-and-abuse-prevention.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data.md>), [sha256](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sha256.md>)

Tags: [cryptographic](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cryptographic.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data.md>), [hashing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hashing.md>), [privacy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/privacy.md>), [sha256](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sha256.md>)

## AI overview

The article explains why cryptographic hashing, including SHA-256, does not by itself make personal data anonymous. Hashes of predictable values such as usernames and email addresses can be tested against guesses and identified.

## Source excerpt

Why using cryptographic hashes doesn't make data anonymous.