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Compare hash values

Compare hash values

Important notes on your data security

The University of Zurich provides various software packages for download via the UZH software portal. To ensure that the downloaded software has not been modified or corrupted, it is advisable to check the integrity of the files after download-ing. Hash values help to do this.

What does hash value mean?

The hash value is a unique ‘fingerprint’ of the file that changes as soon as the file is even minimally modified. After down-loading, you can calculate the hash value of the file on your computer (see below for instructions) and compare it with the value provided by the University of Zurich. If the values match, this means that the file is complete and unchanged. If not, the file could have been corrupted or manipulated, possibly leading to problems or even security risks. In this case, do not install the program and inform the Central IT support team immediately: support@zi.uzh.ch.

How to calculate the hash value on Windows

  1. Download the software from the website.
  2. Open the command prompt. To do this, press the  Windows  key, type cmd, and then press Enter.
  3. In the command prompt, navigate to the folder where the downloaded package is located. For example, if the file is in the Downloads folder, use this command:
    cd %HOMEPATH%\Downloads  
  4. To calculate the SHA512 hash of the file, enter the following command:
    CertUtil -hashfile filename SHA512
    Replace ‘filename’ with the actual name of the downloaded file (e.g. ‘software.msi’).
  5. The hash value is now displayed. Compare it with the value given on the website. If the values match, the file is un-changed and everything is OK.

How to calculate the hash value on a Mac

  1. Download the software from the website.
  2. Open the  terminal . You can find it under ‘Programs’ > ‘Utilities’ > ‘Terminal’.
  3. In the terminal, navigate to the folder containing the downloaded package. For example, if the file is in the ‘Down-loads’ folder, you can use the following command:
    cd %HOMEPATH%\Downloads
  4. To calculate the SHA512 hash of the file, enter the following command:
    shasum -a 512 filename  
    Replace ‘filename’ with the name of the downloaded file (e.g. ‘software.dmg’).
  5. Compare the output hash value with the value given on the website. If the values match, the file is unchanged and everything is OK.