Cite

It is not uncommon for software vendors to provide hash codes for their products, as these can be used to verify the integrity of the downloaded files and ensure they have not been tampered with.

Cite is a lightweight, portable application that allows you to check if the hash code of a local file matches the one supplied by the vendor. It is very easy to use and supports the MD5, SHA-1 and SHA-2 hash types.

Cite does not come with an installer, and the program can be launched from any location, even portable storage devices. This is great for those who often switch between multiple computers and need to be able to check a file’s hash code on a moment’s notice.

The application itself is remarkably easy to use, as you only need to select the relevant file on your hard drive, paste the hash code in the specified field and click the “Check” button.

You can choose between three hash code types, namely MD5 (32 character 128 bit), SHA-1 (40 character 160 bit) and SHA-2 (64 character 256 bit). However, several others are not supported, such as SHA384, SHA512 or RipeMD.

If the downloaded file’s hash matches the one provided by the software vendor, a confirmation message is displayed on a green background, which means it has not been tampered with. If the hashes do not match, however, it is a good indication that the file may be corrupt or include malicious code.

On the whole, Cite is a great tool for users who frequently need to verify the integrity of downloaded files or ensure they are safe to use. While support for more hash types would be welcome in future releases, the application features an intuitive interface and should pose no problems to novices.