What does a matching SHA256 file hash establish?
Documentation: Microsoft Learn
A matching hash proves the file is intact — test what that does and does not guarantee.
Overview
QUIZ
File integrity · Question 1 of 12
Explanation
The compared file contents agree; publisher identity still needs separate verification.
SHA256 is a content-integrity check. Equal hashes are strong evidence of equal bytes, but they do not prove who produced those bytes or whether executing them is safe. File paths and permissions are not part of the file-content hash.
Apply the reasoning
Compare SHA256 values calculated from the intended source and destination after the copy finishes. A matching digest is strong evidence that those bytes agree; it is not a statement about the trustworthiness of the original file.
Why the other choices fail
Publisher trust needs an independent source or signature validation. Malware can have a perfectly valid hash, so matching hashes do not establish that a program is harmless. Names, paths, ACLs and timestamps are outside the content digest. Record both resolved paths when investigating a mismatch so a stale or unintended file is not compared accidentally.
Review the prerequisite
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Primary documentation
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