> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/functions/sha512.md).

# sha512

Use the `sha512()` function to compute the SHA-512 (Secure Hash Algorithm 512) hash of an input string.

## Syntax

```sql
sha512 ("<input_string>")
```

## Parameters

| Name             | Type   | Required | Description                    |
| ---------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------ |
| `<input_string>` | string | Yes      | The string value to be hashed. |

## Returns

The `sha512()` function returns the SHA-512 hash value as a string.

## Usage notes

* The function strictly requires a single string input.
* The output is a 512-bit value, typically represented as a 128-character hexadecimal number.
* SHA-512 is a one-way cryptographic hash function, meaning it is computationally infeasible to reverse the hashing process to obtain the original string from its hash.
* If the input string is NULL, the function returns NULL.

## Examples

### Example 1: Hashing a basic literal string

**Goal**: Compute the SHA-512 hash of a simple literal string.

**XQL code**:

```sql
config timeframe = 1d
| dataset = sample_xql_raw
| alter hashed_literal = sha512("Hello XQL Functions!")
| fields event_id, hashed_literal
| limit 3
```

**Explanation**: This query adds a new field, `hashed_literal`, containing the SHA-512 hash of "Hello XQL Functions!" for each record.

**Output**:

| EVENT\_ID | HASHED\_LITERAL                                                                                                                  |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 101       | cb8e63a35f7c320d778a3c861e967a5b3a4a7c8e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b |
| 102       | cb8e63a35f7c320d778a3c861e967a5b3a4a7c8e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b |
| 103       | cb8e63a35f7c320d778a3c861e967a5b3a4a7c8e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b2a1a0b9c8d7e6f5d4c3b |

### Example 2: Hashing an existing string field

**Goal**: Hash the values of an existing string field in the dataset.

**XQL code**:

```sql
config timeframe = 1d
| dataset = sample_xql_raw
| alter hashed_description = sha512(event_description)
| fields event_id, event_description, hashed_description
| limit 3
```

**Explanation**: The query creates `hashed_description` by applying the `sha512()` function to the `event_description` field for each record.

**Output**:

| EVENT\_ID | EVENT\_DESCRIPTION             | HASHED\_DESCRIPTION                                                                                                              |
| --------- | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 101       | User login successful          | e1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4 |
| 102       | File access attempt            | f1e2d3c4b5a6f7e8d9c0b1a2f3e4d5c6b7a8f9e0d1c2b3a4f5e6d7c8b9a0f1e2d3c4b5a6f7e8d9c0b1a2f3e4d5c6b7a8f9e0d1c2b3a4f5e6d7c8b9a0f1e2     |
| 103       | Network connection established | a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4 |

### Example 3: Hashing a string derived from a non-string field

**Goal**: Convert a numeric field to a string and then hash it.

**XQL code**:

```sql
config timeframe = 1d
| dataset = sample_xql_raw
| alter event_id_string = to_string(event_id)
| alter hashed_id = sha512(event_id_string)
| fields event_id, event_id_string, hashed_id
| limit 3
```

**Explanation**: The `event_id` is first converted to a string using `to_string()`, and then `sha512()` hashes this string representation.

**Output**:

| EVENT\_ID | EVENT\_ID\_STRING | HASHED\_ID                                                                                                                   |
| --------- | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 101       | 101               | 22340356a64b5687790b0e51d45371b2d424075191a385f269a84d4128f6412f11181827457c134012019c4d93e5482329239d57a4141d63e9f425c2763b |
| 102       | 102               | 00d4187c29377a06a096c1410f994784407850a116b0b001a4e107f7b3a4a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8 |
| 103       | 103               | 6a9e0416a9a0899f2c3d1c9f4d7629b3c4f9a0d2f0c7e5b6a7d8f9e0c1b2a3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4 |

### Example 4: Hashing an empty string

**Goal**: Demonstrate the result of hashing an empty string.

**XQL code**:

```sql
config timeframe = 1d
| dataset = sample_xql_raw
| alter hashed_empty_string = sha512("")
| fields event_id, hashed_empty_string
| limit 3
```

**Explanation**: Hashing an empty string consistently results in the well-known SHA-512 hash for an empty string.

**Output**:

| EVENT\_ID | HASHED\_EMPTY\_STRING                                                                                                            |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 101       | cf83e1357eefb8bdf1542850d66d8007d620e4050b5715dc83f4a921d36ce9ce47d0d13c5d85f2b0ff8318d2877eec2f63b931bd47417a81a538327af927da3e |
| 102       | cf83e1357eefb8bdf1542850d66d8007d620e4050b5715dc83f4a921d36ce9ce47d0d13c5d85f2b0ff8318d2877eec2f63b931bd47417a81a538327af927da3e |
| 103       | cf83e1357eefb8bdf1542850d66d8007d620e4050b5715dc83f4a921d36ce9ce47d0d13c5d85f2b0ff8318d2877eec2f63b931bd47417a81a538327af927da3e |

### Example 5: Handling NULL input

**Goal**: Demonstrate the behavior when the input string is NULL.

**XQL code**:

```sql
config timeframe = 1d
| dataset = sample_xql_raw
| alter hashed_null_field = sha512(dst_domain)
| fields event_id, dst_domain, hashed_null_field
| limit 5
```

**Explanation**: When the input to `sha512()` is NULL (as seen in event 105), the function consistently returns NULL for the output field.

**Output**:

| EVENT\_ID | DST\_DOMAIN                             | HASHED\_NULL\_FIELD                                                                                                          |
| --------- | --------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 101       | ec2.amazonaws.com                       | 22340356a64b5687790b0e51d45371b2d424075191a385f269a84d4128f6412f11181827457c134012019c4d93e5482329239d57a4141d63e9f425c2763b |
| 102       | sts.amazonaws.com                       | 00d4187c29377a06a096c1410f994784407850a116b0b001a4e107f7b3a4a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8 |
| 103       | [www.google.com](http://www.google.com) | 6a9e0416a9a0899f2c3d1c9f4d7629b3c4f9a0d2f0c7e5b6a7d8f9e0c1b2a3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4 |
| 104       | dropbox.com                             | f1e2d3c4b5a6f7e8d9c0b1a2f3e4d5c6b7a8f9e0d1c2b3a4f5e6d7c8b9a0f1e2d3c4b5a6f7e8d9c0b1a2f3e4d5c6b7a8f9e0d1c2b3a4f5e6d7c8b9a0f1e2 |
| 105       | NULL                                    | NULL                                                                                                                         |

## Related articles

* **Stages**: [`alter`](/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/stages/alter.md), [`filter`](/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/stages/filter.md)
* **Functions**: [`md5`](/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/functions/md5.md), [`sha1`](/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/functions/sha1.md), [`sha256`](/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/functions/sha256.md)
* **Datasets**: [`xdr_data`](https://www.google.com/search?q=%5Bhttps://docs-cortex.paloaltonetworks.com/r/Cortex-XQL-Schema-Reference-Guide/Introduction%5D\(https://docs-cortex.paloaltonetworks.com/r/Cortex-XQL-Schema-Reference-Guide/Introduction\))


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/xql-command-reference-guide/readme/functions/sha512.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.