# MD5

Hashes the given string or binary data using the [message digest algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD5), version 5.

`MD5` has been strongly deprecated as a means of securely signing data, given the multiple weaknesses discovered in the algorithm.

It is present in SingleStore Helios mainly for backwards compatibility and for systems which require a "good enough" hashing function and can tolerate collisions. For a more secure hash function, see [SHA2](https://docs.singlestore.com/cloud/reference/sql-reference/string-functions/sha-2.md).

> **📝 Note**: `MD5` is disabled when FIPS mode is enabled (via the `ssl_fips_mode` engine variable). A warning is generated when MD5 is used:```sql
> SELECT MD5('a');
>
> ERROR 2535 (HY000): SSL fips mode error: FIPS mode ON: MD5 digest is not supported.
>
> SHOW WARNINGS;
>
> ``````output
>
> +---------+------+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | Level   | Code | Message                                                                |
> +---------+------+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> | Warning | 2535 | SSL FIPS mode error: FIPS mode ON/STRICT: MD5 digest is not supported. |
> +---------+------+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
> ```

## Syntax

```sql
MD5(plaintext)

```

## Arguments

* plaintext: the data to hash.

## Return Type

32 lower case hexadecimal digits corresponding to the 128-bit binary hash value.

## Examples

```sql
SELECT MD5('ohai');

```

```output

+----------------------------------+
| MD5('ohai')                      |
+----------------------------------+
| 5a73678b7b674005056434a48054707d |
+----------------------------------+

```

## Related Topics

* [SHA2](https://docs.singlestore.com/cloud/reference/sql-reference/string-functions/sha-2.md)

***

Modified at: May 3, 2023

Source: [/cloud/reference/sql-reference/string-functions/md-5/](https://docs.singlestore.com/cloud/reference/sql-reference/string-functions/md-5/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)