fprind

Display the man page for fprintd

$ man fprintd

fprind [options] file1 [file2 ...]

-a algorithm
    Specifies the hashing algorithm to use (e.g., SHA-1, MD5, SHA-256, SHA-512). If not specified, a default algorithm is used (implementation defined).

-c fingerprint_file
    Compares the fingerprint of the specified files against fingerprints stored in the fingerprint_file.

-o output_file
    Specifies the output file to write the fingerprints to.

-v
    Verbose mode. Provides more detailed output.

-h
    Displays help information.

The fprind command calculates and compares cryptographic fingerprints (hashes) of files. It supports various hashing algorithms, including SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512, MD5, and others. This enables users to verify the integrity of files, ensuring they haven't been tampered with.

The command can calculate the fingerprint of a single file or a list of files. It can also compare a calculated fingerprint against a known, stored fingerprint, providing a simple way to detect file corruption or unauthorized modification.

fprind is useful in numerous scenarios, such as software distribution, digital forensics, and general file integrity monitoring. By comparing the hash of a downloaded file with the hash provided by the source, users can confirm that the file was downloaded correctly and hasn't been corrupted during the download process.

While conceptually similar to standard hashing tools like md5sum, sha256sum, etc. the fprind command is not a standard or widely available Linux utility. Specific details about its features and options may vary depending on the particular implementation.

As fprind is not a standard Linux utility, its availability and the specific set of available options may vary across different systems. You may need to install it separately or use alternative hashing tools like md5sum or sha256sum.

The specific behavior of fprind and the supported hashing algorithms are determined by its implementation. Consult the documentation or help message (fprind -h) for details specific to your system's version.

md5sum(1), sha1sum(1), sha256sum(1), sha512sum(1), cksum(1)