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Olivier Duffez takes a look at Google's changing of its Toolbar Checksum Algorithm.

Google has just released a new beta version of its toolbar: v3.0.119.6.

The Toolbar checksum

As you may know, the Google Toolbar has a built in code (in a DLL) for computing the checksum associated to each URL viewed in the browser. This checksum depends only on the URL and is needed to retrieve the PageRank displayed in the toolbar.

In September 2004, we already reported that Google has changed this checksum algorithm. On the same day, it was cracked and the code of this algorithm was released all over the web.

The new algorithm

Our tests show that Google has just changed this algorithm. Once again! :-)

Let's see some examples:

Tested URL: http://www.prweaver.com/

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Tested URL: http://www.prweaver.com/blog/

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Comments

I have noticed that the new checksums begin with '7', whereas the checksum of toolbar v2 begins with '6'.

At the time I'm writing this post, I can't find yet any other blogger reporting this change. I'm sure there is already a new crack somewhere on the web...

Why do you think Google is changing its checksum algorithm?

Olivier Duffez is an SEO consultant specialized on Google. Working on the Internet since 1997, he created in 2002 Web Rank Info, a free SEO resources French community (+13,000 members), and in 2003 his company Web Rank Expert. He created an online collaborative dictionary supported by Google.fr and DMOZ. He's giving SEO conferences in ImiTiki's seminars and wrote a book about Google and SEO in 2004. He's also part of the developpment team of PR Weaver and Agent Web Ranking softwares.