Hiding in Plain Sight: Steganography

Steganography is the art and science of hiding Information in plain sight.

Using Steganography information is hidden within other, seemingly innocuous data. The goal of steganography is to conceal the existence of the hidden information, making it difficult for others to detect or decode. This handout will provide a brief overview of steganography, including common techniques and methods for detecting hidden information.

Techniques of Steganography:

Image Steganography:

This is the most common form of steganography, in which the hidden information is embedded within an image file. The information is hidden within the image by slightly altering the color values of individual pixels or by hiding information within the image’s metadata.

To detect hidden information in an image, one can use a steganography detection tool that analyzes the color values of the pixels and compares them to the expected values for an unaltered image.

Audio Steganography

This technique involves hiding information within an audio file by altering the audio waveform or by encoding information within the audio file’s metadata.

To detect hidden information in an audio file, one can use a steganography detection tool that analyzes the audio waveform and compares it to the expected waveform for an unaltered audio file.

Text Steganography

This technique involves hiding information within a plain text file by altering the spacing, font size, or other formatting elements of the text.

To detect hidden information in a text file, one can use a steganography detection tool that analyzes the formatting elements of the text and compares them to the expected formatting for an unaltered text file.

Steganography is a powerful tool for hiding information, but it is not foolproof. With the right tools and techniques, hidden information can be detected and decoded. By understanding the techniques of steganography and the methods for detecting hidden information, one can better understand the potential vulnerabilities of information security and take steps to protect sensitive information. In other posts we will look at some of the tools used to decipher what is hidden.