This article explains what hashed data is, how we use it on the Mention Me platform, and how it differs from encryption. By the end, you’ll understand why hashing is secure and why it protects your customers’ information.
What is hashed data?
Hashed data refers to information that has undergone a one-way transformation using a hash function. This process takes something like an email address and turns it into a unique set of characters.
How does hashing work?
- Consistency: The function always produces the same output for the same input. Each email address generates a distinct hash.
- Irreversibility: It's impossible to reverse a hash back to the original email address. While you can create a hash from an email, you can't derive the email from the hash.
We use hashes to store identifiers that correspond to specific email addresses, especially for existing customers. To improve security, we use "salted" hashes. This means we combine the email address with a secret key before hashing, making it even harder for outsiders to link hashes to emails.
How is hashed data used on the Mention Me platform?
When you view the Customer section in our platform, you may find a hashed record for an email address. This means we’ve stored the address as a hash. We store hashed records in two main cases:
- When a client launches with us, we import their existing customer list.
- When someone places an order with one of our clients.
In both situations, we only use the hashed data to indicate that the person has had a relationship with the brand at some point in the past and, as an existing customer, cannot claim a reward. We do not use hashed data for any other purpose.
What does a hashed record look like?
Here’s what a record in our Customer section might look like when we only have the hash:
Hashing vs encryption: what’s the difference?
- Hashing: A one-way process that turns data (like an email) into a unique string of characters. This transformation is irreversible. You can’t retrieve the original data from the hash, and hashing doesn’t involve keys.
- Encryption: A two-way process that transforms data into a string of characters using a key. It’s reversible—if you have both the encrypted data and the correct key, you can recover the original information.
Key takeaway
We store data in a hashed form for security. This means we cannot go back and re-create the original email address from its hash.