Understanding Image Hashing

Image hashing refers to an algorithmic process employed to allocate a distinctive "hash value" to an image, often referred to as a "digital fingerprint." These hash values are represented as sequences of alphanumeric characters. The significance of image hashing stems from its ability to transform complex images into easily storable alphanumeric string sequences, facilitating rapid retrieval and querying.

The core concept behind image hashing revolves around converting the intricate details of an image into a compact, machine-readable format. This conversion entails utilising algorithms that extract essential features and structures from the image and subsequently encode them into a hash value.

The resulting alphanumeric string sequence encapsulates the image's intrinsic characteristics and remains constant even in the presence of minor alterations or format changes.

Understand how IWF uses hashes here: https://www.iwf.org.uk/our-technology/our-services/image-hash-list/