Data security is a crucial issue, especially in a digital world where hacking and privacy breaches are becoming increasingly prevalent. To ensure the protection of digital files, one of the most effective means is the use of hashing algorithms. These have the particularity of transforming any type of data into a unique digital fingerprint that preserves its integrity. In this article, we will explain how this fingerprint is calculated for a file. For this practical case, we will use SHA-256, the hashing algorithm used by the Bitcoin protocol. But first, let's explore the fundamentals of hashing in general, and SHA-256 in particular.