MD2 (Message Digest 2) is a cryptographic hash function designed by Ronald Rivest in 1989 and defined in RFC 1319. It produces a 128-bit (32 hex character) digest and was originally optimized for 8-bit computers. It is the predecessor to MD4 and MD5.

No. MD2 is no longer considered cryptographically secure. Collisions have been demonstrated, and its use is strongly discouraged for any security-sensitive purpose. It is preserved here only for legacy compatibility, forensics, and educational use.

Is my input sent to a server?

No. MD2 is computed entirely in your browser using a pure JavaScript implementation of RFC 1319. Your text never leaves your device.

How does MD2 differ from MD5?

MD2 was designed for 8-bit machines and uses a unique padding and checksum scheme with a 256-byte S-box (permutation table). MD4 and MD5 were later redesigned for 32-bit machines and are significantly faster. All three are now considered insecure. MD2 is the slowest and most obscure of the three.

Why is the output always 32 characters long?

MD2 always produces a fixed 128-bit digest regardless of input length. Encoded as lowercase hexadecimal (2 chars per byte), this is always exactly 32 characters.

What are the known test vectors for MD2?

From RFC 1319: empty string → 8350e5a3e24c153df2275c9f80692773, "a" → 32ec01ec4a6dac72c0ab96fb34c0b5d1, "abc" → da853b0d3f88d99b30283a69e6ded6bb, "message digest" → ab4f496bfb2a530b219ff33031fe06b0.

MD2 Hash Generator

Type or paste any text and instantly get its MD2 hash digest — computed locally in your browser.

Input Text 0 characters

Uppercase output Trim whitespace

About MD2

MD2 is a legacy 128-bit hash function defined in RFC 1319 (1992), designed by Ronald Rivest for 8-bit machines. It is no longer considered secure — use it only for forensics, legacy compatibility, or educational purposes. Modern alternatives include SHA-256 or SHA-3.

MD2 Hash 32 hex characters (128-bit)

Enter text on the left to generate the hash

RFC 1319 Test Vectors

Input	MD2 Digest
(empty)	8350e5a3e24c153df2275c9f80692773
"a"	32ec01ec4a6dac72c0ab96fb34c0b5d1
"abc"	da853b0d3f88d99b30283a69e6ded6bb
"message digest"	ab4f496bfb2a530b219ff33031fe06b0

Click any row to load the input and verify against the expected digest.

Summary

The MD2 Hash Generator computes the MD2 (Message Digest 2) cryptographic hash from any text you provide, entirely within your browser using a pure JavaScript implementation. MD2 is a legacy 128-bit hash algorithm defined in RFC 1319, designed for 8-bit machines in 1989. While no longer considered cryptographically secure, MD2 remains relevant for forensic analysis of old systems, verifying legacy checksums, and studying the history of cryptographic hash functions.

How it works

Type or paste your input text into the text area.
The MD2 digest is computed live in your browser using a pure JavaScript RFC 1319 implementation.
The result is displayed as 32 lowercase hexadecimal characters (128-bit output).
Use the Copy button to copy the hash to your clipboard.
Toggle uppercase output using the checkbox option.
No data leaves your device — all computation happens client-side.

Use cases

Verify legacy checksums from old software distributions that used MD2.
Forensic analysis of archived files or documents that include MD2 digests.
Study and compare the MD2 algorithm against modern hash functions.
Test legacy systems or code paths that depend on MD2 output.
Academic and research purposes related to cryptographic history.
Confirm interoperability with old protocols that required MD2.
Generate test vectors for implementing RFC 1319 in other languages.
Cross-check MD2 output from command-line tools against this browser tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu