🛠️ MD5Cng for .NET Core/5+ (Linux/macOS)
A cross-platform workaround to generate MD5 hashes using CNG-like behavior in modern .NET non-Windows environments.
🚀 Why This Exists
Microsoft removed MD5Cng from .NET Core/5+ and restricted it to Windows-only frameworks. This library fills the gap, enabling legacy systems or niche workflows (e.g., FIPS-compliant toolchains, backward-compatible integrations) to use MD5Cng-style hashing on Linux, macOS, and Docker with .NET 6/7/8.
đź’ˇ Key Features
âś… Cross-Platform MD5Cng Emulation: Mimic the deprecated MD5Cng API on non-Windows systems.
âś… CNG-like Behavior: Uses platform-native cryptography libraries (e.g., OpenSSL) under the hood.
âś… No Windows Dependencies: Works seamlessly in Linux/macOS CI/CD pipelines or containers.
âś… Legacy Compatibility: Migrate old .NET Framework codebases to modern .NET without rewriting hashing logic.
đź“ś Use Cases
Migrate enterprise apps relying on MD5Cng to .NET 8.
Maintain compatibility with legacy systems that require MD5 (e.g., checksums for non-security-critical tasks).
Debug/test FIPS-mode workflows in cross-platform environments.
MD5 is Insecure: Only use this for non-cryptographic purposes (e.g., checksums, legacy integrations). Not FIPS-Compliant: Mimics MD5Cng’s behavior but does not enforce FIPS rules.