# Snefru

> cryptographic hash function

**Wikidata**: [Q1432392](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1432392)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snefru)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/snefru

## Summary
Snefru is a cryptographic hash function designed by Ralph Merkle in 1989. It is named after the Egyptian Pharaoh Sneferu and is classified as a special type of hash function suitable for use in cryptography.

## Key Facts
- Created by Ralph Merkle in 1989
- Named after Egyptian Pharaoh Sneferu
- Classified as a cryptographic hash function
- Has 5 Wikipedia language editions (de, en, fr, pl, ru)
- Associated with Microsoft Academic ID 69068340
- Freebase ID: /m/029zmr
- Instance of: cryptographic hash function

## FAQs
### Q: What is Snefru?
A: Snefru is a cryptographic hash function created by Ralph Merkle in 1989. It is designed to be a special class of hash function suitable for use in cryptography.

### Q: Who created Snefru?
A: Snefru was created by Ralph Merkle, an American cryptographer and computer scientist born in 1952.

### Q: Why is it called Snefru?
A: Snefru is named after the Egyptian Pharaoh Sneferu, following a tradition of naming cryptographic algorithms after historical figures.

## Why It Matters
Snefru represents an important development in cryptographic hash functions, contributing to the evolution of secure data processing and verification systems. As a cryptographic hash function, it provides the essential properties needed for secure data handling, including collision resistance and deterministic output. Created by Ralph Merkle, a prominent figure in cryptography, Snefru demonstrates the ongoing innovation in creating more secure and efficient cryptographic tools. While newer hash functions have since been developed, Snefru remains a notable example in the history of cryptographic algorithm development, showing how these tools have evolved to meet increasing security demands.

## Notable For
- One of Ralph Merkle's cryptographic contributions
- Named after an Egyptian Pharaoh, following a naming tradition
- Early example of a cryptographic hash function from 1989
- Part of the foundational development of cryptographic tools
- Associated with academic and research communities through Microsoft Academic ID

## Body
### Technical Classification
Snefru is classified as a cryptographic hash function, which is a special class of hash function with properties suitable for cryptography. These properties typically include pre-image resistance, second pre-image resistance, and collision resistance.

### Historical Context
Created in 1989 by Ralph Merkle, Snefru emerged during a period of significant development in cryptographic algorithms. Merkle, known for his contributions to public-key cryptography and other cryptographic innovations, designed Snefru as part of the ongoing effort to create more secure and efficient hash functions.

### Naming Convention
The algorithm is named after Sneferu, an Egyptian Pharaoh who ruled during the Old Kingdom period. This follows a tradition in cryptography of naming algorithms after historical figures, which helps with memorability and gives the algorithms a distinctive identity.

### Academic Recognition
Snefru has been recognized in academic databases, including having a Microsoft Academic ID (69068340). This indicates its inclusion in scholarly literature and research discussions about cryptographic algorithms and their development.

### Documentation and Availability
The algorithm is documented across multiple Wikipedia language editions (German, English, French, Polish, and Russian), suggesting its international recognition and availability of information about its design and implementation.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013