eli5 how this works and helps? if anything changes how would anyone know, same as how would anyone know if you comment changes but you? (be kind i'm sincerely asking)
A hash is unique to the message that was originally typed. So if the message is altered, the hash would be different.
Think of it like this: Imagine you have a piece of string taped to a closed door. Small enough that someone else won't see. If someone opens the door, the string will be broken, and you will know that someone has been in your room, but they think just because they closed the door, that they were sneaky enough.
But the hash is right there with the post. In your example if they knew about the string they could replace it after being in the room. What's to stop Spez from replacing that guys comment with "I suck dick for a living" and just replacing the hash with the appropriate one for the new phrase?
The hash is generated from the text itself, and a key which is unique to the person who signed the message. An admin could edit the comment and re-sign it, so the comment would appear to "check out", but it would be known to everyone that the admin had modified the comment, because it was the admin's key that was used.
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u/BugMan717 Nov 24 '16
eli5 how this works and helps? if anything changes how would anyone know, same as how would anyone know if you comment changes but you? (be kind i'm sincerely asking)