Which statement is true about cryptographic hashing?

Cryptographic hashing is fundamentally designed as a one-way function. This means that, given an input, a cryptographic hash function produces a fixed-size string of bytes that appears random and is unique to each unique input. The crucial characteristic of a one-way function is that it is computationally infeasible to reverse the process; that is, even if you have the output (the hash), it should not be possible to retrieve the original input used to create that output.

In cryptography, this property is essential for various applications such as data integrity verification, password storage, and digital signatures. An ideal hash function will also produce a different output, or hash value, for even the smallest change in the input, ensuring that the output is unique to the input data. This one-way characteristic bolsters security, making it difficult for attackers to reconstruct original data or find two different inputs that yield the same hash value.

The other options relate to properties of cryptographic processes that do not accurately describe hashing. For instance, the idea of a two-way function implies reversible operations, which is contrary to the nature of hashing. Additionally, while it may be true that hashing is generally faster than some encryption algorithms, this does not universally apply, especially in the context of different