If a single bit is incorrect, the CRC value will not match up. Since the first combination equals zero, a byte can have a maximum value of The good thing about CRC is that it is very accurate. A byte is made up of 8 bits, and each bit can be in one of two states, leading to a total of 2 8 possible combinations. Let's say the checksum of a packet is 1 byte long. A checksum is determined in one of two ways. There are a couple of popular ways to do this.Ĭhecksum - Probably one of the oldest methods of ensuring that data is correct, checksums also provide a form of authentication because an invalid checksum suggests that the data has been compromised in some fashion. Another secure-computing need is to ensure that the data has not been corrupted during transmission or encryption.