How to Verify Your Downloads Haven't Been Modified with a SHA-256 Hash

Any internet user will need to download files eventually, and most simply have faith that what they are downloading is trustworthy. This doesn't give much clarity into the contents of the file, but if the file's author published the original checksum, comparing it to the SHA-256 hash of the downloaded file can ensure nothing was tampered with. When we have a file that we need to audit against a checksum provided by the file's author, we can use open source cryptographic software to calculate a checksum. Reviewing the checksum is used for situations where maybe you are at a sketchy website or... more

from Null Byte « WonderHowTo full article here