Which hashing algorithm uses a sponge construction and is designed to complement SHA-2?

Which hashing algorithm uses a sponge construction and is designed to complement SHA-2?

• A. SHA-3
• B. SHA
• C. MD5
• D. RC6

Answer: (A)

SHA-3 uses a sponge construction, where input data is absorbed into a state and output is squeezed from that state. This approach is different from the Merkle-Damgård design used by SHA-2, which is why SHA-3 was introduced to complement SHA-2 and provide a distinct cryptographic primitive (Keccak) with different security properties, including the ability to produce outputs of variable length. Because of this different foundation, SHA-3 offers diversification that helps guard against potential future vulnerabilities tied to the SHA-2 family’s construction. Other options don’t fit this description: MD5 and the SHA family based on Merkle-Damgård have weaknesses or rely on the same general structure, and RC6 is a block cipher, not a hash function.

SHA-3 uses a sponge construction, where input data is absorbed into a state and output is squeezed from that state. This approach is different from the Merkle-Damgård design used by SHA-2, which is why SHA-3 was introduced to complement SHA-2 and provide a distinct cryptographic primitive (Keccak) with different security properties, including the ability to produce outputs of variable length. Because of this different foundation, SHA-3 offers diversification that helps guard against potential future vulnerabilities tied to the SHA-2 family’s construction.

Other options don’t fit this description: MD5 and the SHA family based on Merkle-Damgård have weaknesses or rely on the same general structure, and RC6 is a block cipher, not a hash function.