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MD4 hash is a hashing algorithm developed by Ronald Rivest in 1990. It was designed to produce short, fixed-length strings (128 bits) for arbitrary amounts of input data. MD4 became the basis for more modern algorithms such as MD5, which was designed to be more resistant to collisions and to increase computation speed.
However, despite its historical significance, it should be noted that MD4 is considered obsolete and unsafe for use in modern cryptographic applications. In 1996, serious vulnerabilities in the algorithm were discovered, allowing users to find collisions and create fake data with the same MD4 hash.
For this reason, MD4 is no longer recommended for information security, in favor of more robust algorithms such as SHA-256 or SHA-3, which offer significantly higher levels of protection against attacks.
However, MD4 may still be useful in some specific situations, such as checking data integrity in legacy systems or in scientific research where it is important to maintain compatibility with historical data. However, the use of this algorithm should be well justified, taking into account all the risks associated with its shortcomings.
Additionally, using MD4 can be justified for educational purposes. Teaching the basics of hashing and cryptography using MD4 allows students to better understand the principles of working with data, and also provides an opportunity to study how more modern and secure algorithms were developed.