Method and Apparatus for Validating a Transaction between a Plurality of Machines

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory to store data including instructions;
• a processor enabled to retrieve data from the memory including the instructions and to execute the instructions retrieved from the memory to perform the steps:
• retrieving from the memory a first hashing configuration, the first hashing configuration being selected from a plurality of different hashing configurations stored on the memory;
• generating a hash value based on message data in accordance with the first hashing configuration;
• transmitting the hash value to a computing device by the first apparatus;
• and
• disabling the first hashing configuration in the memory.

A method of performing a cryptographic operation, comprising:

• retrieving by a processor of a first hashing configuration from a memory that stores a plurality of different hashing configurations;
• the processor hashing message data in accordance with the first hashing configuration and generating a hash value from the message data, wherein the first hashing configuration includes at least 4 different n-state 2-input/one output switching functions, each determined by a unique n-by-n switching table with n an integer greater than 2;
• and
• the processor disabling the first hashing configuration after generating the hash value.