By Colton Delman COSC 316

Greek roots –Steganos : covered –Graphie: writting Hidden communication The hiding of data, information, or messages in many different binary file formats/ object in such a way that it will not be noticed Watermarks –Watermarking an image is the same thing and using the same technology and methods –Used to deal with digital rights, protect information, and conceal trade secrets –Copyright protection

Dates back to when man first began to publish books Ancient Greeks melted wax from their wax message tablets and scratched their covert communication on the wood of the tablet itself –This replacing the wax on the surface when done Shaved head of slaves, tattooed message to head, and sent slave with hair grown back

–Known:.bmp.jpg.gif.png.html.pcx.pdf.wav.mp3.au text documents Network traffic executables Most commonly in picture files

Text files –ex. Legal/business documents Other pictures –ex. Pictures of child pornography Messages Place ment zone

Most programs are simple drag and drop –Open original file –Drag and drop hidden file into original –save as new file LSB method –Least Significant Bit Append Method Encrypt and append file to end of the original file Plus encryption/password for the file

modifies the 1’s and 0’s from the secret message and inserts those into each pixel of an image, starting at the bit lest likely to make a noticeable change to the color of the pixel This changes the color so slightly that the human eye cant tell the difference

Used to transfer secret messages/data covertly –ex: trade secrets stolen from business by insider, sent to rival company via hidden document in a image in –Ex: sharing of child pornography hidden in normal images Freeware –S-Tools –JP Hide-and-Seek –Gif-it-up –wbStego4 Detection Software available –Stego Analyst™ –Gargoyle –Stego Watch –Stego Break –StegAlyzerAS –StegAlyzerRTS –StegAlyzerSS

Has been connected to the distribution of child pornography Secret message communication system for terrorist groups Stealing of government/corporate documents Files are hard to detect and go through firewalls

Unless program used is high end most of the time the file size changes dramatically (when compared to original file) But not always the case Simple algorithms and encryption but could lead to more robust forms Detection software confuses watermarks and legit files with legit Steganography files File size is limited for hidden files –Carrier file dictates amount of space for hidden data –Usually 25-30% of the size of carrier file –Anymore then that = high probability of detection

PhotoCrypt S-Tools4 The Third Eye winhip

Harris, Shon. "Steganography." CISSP All-in -One Exam Guide. Third ed. Emeryville: McGraw- Hill/Osborne, Print. McNamara, Joel. "Steganography." Secrets of Computer Espionage: Tactics and Countermeasures. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley, Print. Rogers, Russ. "Covert Channels." Hacking a Terror Network: The Silent Threat of Covert Channels. Rockland, MA: Syngress, Print. Rogers, Russ. "The Future of Steganography." Hacking a Terror Network: The Silent Threat of Covert Channels. Rockland, MA: Syngress, Print. Steganography and digital watermarking resource links, Johnson & Johnson Technology Consultants “Steganography Revealed,” by Kristy Westphal, SecurityFocus ( April 8, 2003)