Check archive (SHA256 checksum)

With your netfiles data room archive you receive a checksum, which can be used to confirm the identity of the archive. This checksum is created during the archiving process with the secure technology SHA-256. SHA-256 are for example used to sign electronic data sets.

To validate that the data set on the data carrier is identical to the data archived by netfiles, you calculate the SHA-256 Hash value of the data set and compare it with the checksum provided by netfiles.

A commonly used ZIP tool is the software 7-zip. In the context menu (tight-click onto the file name), call the function CRC SHA and select SHA-256:

Right-click onto file name > CRC SHA > SHA-256

The result is the checksum F0FA..9F6F

Compare the checksum

Compare this checksum with the one provided by netfiles. It is sufficient to compare the first and last four characters, e.g. F0FA..9F6F. If the strings are identical, the data set is identical to the original archive.

Various other ZIP tools also offer a function to calculate the checksum.

I do not see the menu item “CRC SHA”, what can I do?

If you do not see this context menu “CRC SHA”,

• Open “7-zip File Manager”, e.g. by right-clicking on a zip file and selecting 7-zip > Open archive.
• Click on Extras > Options > Open “7-zip” tab at the top.
• The “CRC SHA” entry must be activated there.
• We also recommend “Cascade context menu” so that all entries in the context menu are combined under one “7-zip” entry.

This is what it should look like (“Cascade context menu” on)

 

Note: the function in the context menu “Check archive” or in the 7z File Manager under File > CRC provides other checksum values. These are not used for comparison with the checksum from the letter from netfiles.