If you download a file from the internet, you can't be 100% sure that the file has not been altered from its original state by a malicious party. This could occur either while the file was being hosted (someone changed it) or while it was on its way to you if the attacker makes your computer think it's downloading it from the original source.
What is a checksum?
One of the standardized ways you can determine whether a file has been changed from its original state is to check the files’ integrity by looking at its hash value (a digital fingerprint). Each and every different file has unique data contained within it. When you apply an algorithm called a “cryptographic hash function” to it (in this case SHA256), a string value that is only valid for that particular file in its current state is returned. This is known as a checksum. If any of the data in the file is altered—even 1 bit—and you check the algorithm again, the string value/hash output will be completely different from the first value. By comparing checksums, you can tell if a file you download is the same one you are intending to before you use it.
See below for simple ways you can verify the checksums on three desktop platforms where the Jaxx Liberty Wallet App is supported. By double-checking the Jaxx Liberty Wallet app to see if the hashes match after you download them and before you install them, you are ensuring you are using the correct and unaltered app file
We always post hash values of the downloadable Jaxx Liberty Wallet installers on our website. They can be viewed after selecting your preferred platform to download.
How to get a file's checksum:
WINDOWS:
1. Open "Command Prompt".
2. Type:
certutil -hashfile Jaxx.Liberty-setup-2.1.3.exe sha256
-hasfile Jaxx.Liberty-setup-2.1.3.exe should be adapted to contain the path and name of the Jaxx Wallet file you've downloaded and plan to install
3. Press "Enter"
4. The hash will be displayed for you to validate.
OSX and Linux:
1. Open "Terminal".
2. Type:
shasum -a 256 Jaxx.Liberty-2.1.3.dmg
Jaxx.Liberty-setup-2.1.3.dmg should be changed to contain the path and name of the Jaxx Wallet file you've downloaded and plan to install e.g. .AppImage for Linux
3. Press "Enter".
4. The hash will be displayed for you to validate.