Easy way to verify the MD5 checksum of a Downloaded file in Test Automation

Introduction

The MD5 checksum verification is to validate the authenticity of the file so we can ensure that the received file is exactly the same as at the source.

Need for MD5 checksum Verification for a file.

Upon receiving a file, it is crucial to verify its accuracy and authenticity by checking if it is correct or incorrect, and conducting a file integrity test using a checksum.

What is MD5?

The message-digest algorithm(MD5) is a cryptographic hash function whose main purpose is to verify that a file has not been altered. MD5 hashes are 128 bits long and are usually displayed as their 32-digit hexadecimal equivalents. It doesn’t matter how large or small the file or text is.

What is MD5 checksum of a file?

The use of checksum programs to generate checksum key strings from files. The generated checksum string is then compared with the original one provided by file servers, which is often a pre-computed MD5. This helps users verify the integrity of the downloaded file.

Calculate MD5 checksum for a file for windows

With the command prompt:

The command line tool is built-in into the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, as a certificate service, which is “CertUtil”.

Calculate MD5 checksum for a file for windows

With PowerShell:

Since there is no coding, this is the most efficient and easiest method. If PowerShell 4.0 is used then a command line, i.e., cmdlet exists in it.

Calculate MD5 checksum for a file using some Third Party Tools

 Following are some tools we generally can use for MD5 checksum:    · Hash Generator  · MD5 & SHA Checksum Utility.   · HashMyFiles

Calculate MD5 checksum for a file through automation using C# 

To calculate it for a file in C#, .net provides an inbuilt functionality for generating these hash functions.

Conclusion

The MD5 checksum is the most popular and widely utilized checksum technique, widely used in the software industry to ensure that an uploaded file has arrived intact and without any alteration from its source.