MD5

According to Wikipedia, MD5 (Message-Digest algorithm 5) is a widely used, insecure cryptographic hash function with a 128-bit hash value. As an Internet standard (RFC 1321), MD5 has been employed in a wide variety of security applications, and is also commonly used to check the integrity of files. An MD5 hash is typically expressed as a 32-character hexadecimal number.

Complete gibberish. Technically correct, assuredly, but gibberish nonetheless. Honestly, hash is delicious, but what does it mean? What you want to know is how this widely used, insecure cryptographic hash function is used in audio post.

MD5 checksums are commonly used in the audio industry to ensure that digital audio being transmitted across networks or physically copied from one location to another (hard drives, optical media, etc.) is the same when it reaches its destination.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License found at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html. It uses material from the Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Md5.