Answer Description
MD5 (Message-Digest algorithm 5) is a hashing algorithm, commonly used to verify integrity when downloading or transferring files. MD5 is used before and after the file transfer and the generated 128 bit digests can be compared. If they match, the file is exactly the same. If not, some sort of error or malicious attack has occurred.
Wikipedia
md5sum is a computer program that calculates and verifies 128-bit MD5 hashes, as described in RFC 1321 The MD5 hash functions as a compact digital fingerprint of a file As with all such hashing algorithms, there is theoretically an unlimited number of files that will have any given MD5 hash However, it is very unlikely that any two non-identical files in the real world will have the same MD5 hash, unless they have been specifically created to have the same hashThe underlying MD5 algorithm is no longer deemed secure Thus, while md5sum is well-suited for identifying known files in situations that are not security related, it should not be relied on if there is a chance that files have been purposefully and maliciously tampered
Md5sum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia