SHA3-384 Hash Generator

Generate secure SHA-3 cryptographic hashes with our free online tool. Support for all SHA-3 variants including 224, 256, 384, and 512-bit outputs.

SHA3-224
224 bits
112-bit security
SHA3-256
256 bits
128-bit security
SHA3-384
384 bits
192-bit security
SHA3-512
512 bits
256-bit security
SHA3-256 hash will appear here...
What is SHA-3?

SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) is the latest member of the Secure Hash Algorithm family of standards, released by NIST in 2015. Unlike SHA-1 and SHA-2, which are based on the Merkle-Damgård structure, SHA-3 uses a completely different design called the sponge construction (Keccak algorithm). This makes SHA-3 highly secure and resistant to length extension attacks by design.

Sponge Construction: Unique design for enhanced security
Length Extension Resistant: Built-in protection
Variable Output: 224, 256, 384, or 512 bits
NIST Standard: FIPS 202 compliant

Understanding SHA-3 (Keccak)

SHA-3 (Secure Hash Algorithm 3) is the latest member of the Secure Hash Algorithm family, standardized by NIST in FIPS 202. Unlike its predecessors SHA-1 and SHA-2, SHA-3 is based on the Keccak sponge construction, which provides a fundamentally different approach to cryptographic hashing. This design offers enhanced security properties and built-in resistance to certain types of attacks.

The Sponge Construction

SHA-3 uses a unique sponge construction that absorbs input data and then squeezes out the hash. This design provides several advantages:

  • Built-in Length Extension Resistance: Unlike SHA-2, SHA-3 is naturally resistant to length extension attacks without additional mechanisms
  • Flexible Output Size: The sponge construction allows for variable-length output, though NIST standardized fixed lengths
  • Parallelizable: The design allows for efficient hardware implementation and parallel processing

SHA-3 Variants

AlgorithmOutput SizeSecurity LevelHex Length
SHA3-224224 bits112 bits (collision)56 chars
SHA3-256256 bits128 bits (collision)64 chars
SHA3-384384 bits192 bits (collision)96 chars
SHA3-512512 bits256 bits (collision)128 chars

Common Applications

  • Digital Signatures: Used in conjunction with signature algorithms like RSA and ECDSA
  • Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: Some newer blockchain projects use SHA-3 for its security properties
  • Password Hashing: Often used in key derivation functions and password storage
  • Message Authentication: Can be used in HMAC constructions for message authentication
NIST Standard: SHA-3 is approved by NIST for use in U.S. federal government applications and is recommended for new systems requiring cryptographic hashing, especially where future-proofing against potential SHA-2 vulnerabilities is desired.

Quick Features

  • 4 SHA-3 Variants
  • 3 Output Formats
  • One-click Copy
  • Client-side Only
  • Length Extension Resistant

Why Choose SHA-3?

SHA-3 represents the state-of-the-art in cryptographic hash functions. While SHA-2 remains secure, SHA-3 provides a completely different internal structure, offering diversification in cryptographic algorithms. This is particularly valuable for systems requiring long-term security or compliance with the latest NIST standards.

Key Advantage: The sponge construction makes SHA-3 inherently resistant to length extension attacks, a property that must be specifically addressed when using SHA-2 (e.g., using HMAC instead of plain hashing).

SHA3-384 Implementation Examples

JavaScript (Browser)

async function sha3_384(message) {
  const msgBuffer = new TextEncoder().encode(message);
  const hashBuffer = await crypto.subtle.digest('SHA3-384', msgBuffer);
  const hashArray = Array.from(new Uint8Array(hashBuffer));
  return hashArray.map(b => 
    b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')
  ).join('');
}

Node.js (with crypto)

const crypto = require('crypto');

function sha3_384(message) {
  return crypto
    .createHash('sha3-384')
    .update(message)
    .digest('hex');
}

Python (with hashlib)

import hashlib

def sha3_384(message):
    return hashlib.sha3_384(
        message.encode()
    ).hexdigest()

Java

import java.security.MessageDigest;

public static String sha3_384(String message) 
        throws Exception {
    MessageDigest md = 
        MessageDigest.getInstance("SHA3-384");
    byte[] hash = md.digest(
        message.getBytes("UTF-8")
    );
    return bytesToHex(hash);
}

Frequently Asked Questions

SHA-2 and SHA-3 are fundamentally different in their internal design. SHA-2 uses a Merkle-Damgård structure, while SHA-3 uses a sponge construction (Keccak). This makes SHA-3 naturally resistant to length extension attacks and gives it a different security profile. SHA-3 was designed as a backup to SHA-2, not a replacement, providing algorithm diversity in case vulnerabilities are found in SHA-2.

Performance comparison between SHA-2 and SHA-3 depends on the implementation and hardware. In software, SHA-2 is generally faster on most platforms. However, SHA-3 was designed with hardware efficiency in mind and can be very fast in hardware implementations. For most software applications, SHA-2 remains the faster choice, but SHA-3's performance is acceptable for most use cases and offers the benefit of algorithm diversity.

While SHA3-384 is a secure cryptographic hash function, it's not recommended for direct password hashing. Password hashing requires functions that are deliberately slow and memory-hard to resist brute-force attacks (like bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2). However, SHA3-384 can be used as part of these dedicated password hashing functions or in key derivation functions like HKDF.

SHA3-384 provides 192 bits of security against collision attacks (due to the birthday paradox) and 384 bits of security against preimage attacks. This is considered extremely strong and suitable for the most demanding security applications. Even with future advances in computing, including quantum computers, this level of security is expected to remain adequate for the foreseeable future.

Choose SHA3-384 when you need: (1) The latest NIST standard for compliance, (2) Built-in resistance to length extension attacks without HMAC, (3) Algorithm diversity alongside SHA-2 for defense in depth, (4) Future-proofing for systems expected to operate for decades, or (5) Hardware-optimized implementations. For most general purposes, SHA-256 or SHA-384 remain excellent choices, but SHA-3 offers the security of a fresh design.

All SHA-3 hash generation is performed locally in your browser. Your data never leaves your device, ensuring complete privacy and security. Supports the latest NIST FIPS 202 standard.