I think you are confusing SHA and AES. SHA is just the hash. Think of SHA as the "packing slip" detailing what the AES encrypted package SHOULD contain, lest it prove the packages container is unreliable in one way or another.
AES256 is the standard of the day, but most InfoSec peeps are convinced the NSA, at a minimum, has the ability to open it.
I think you are confusing SHA and AES. SHA is just the hash. Think of SHA as the "packing slip" detailing what the AES encrypted package SHOULD contain, lest it prove the packages container is unreliable in one way or another.
AES256 is the standard of the day, but most InfoSec peeps are convinced the NSA, at a minimum, has the ability to open it.