Tell me more ×
IT Security Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for IT security professionals. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 2 down vote favorite

I am interested, are there existing utilities/projects under way devoted to combining encryption and steganography.

I would like to
- combine two or more messages, encrypted with separate passwords, into a single output file - providing correct password will allow extracting the corresponding message only
- make sure it's not plausible to prove existence of other messages, unless I know passphrase(s) for some of those

I.e., the approach of TrueCrypt hidden volumes, somewhat expanded. Existing utilities like outguess can hide two messages in an image file - I am looking for more general approach.

Update. I disagree that the linked question has actually answers suitable for mine.

What I seek is a way to join several (two or more) messages, probably encrypted, into a data stream in a manner that cannot disclose the actual number of messages present, if any; and which can be decrypted to any of the message present, if correct passphrase is used.

None of tools known in lists such as this one can actually solve the task.

share|improve this question
There are various projects/applications which do at least part of this. The linked question names a couple. – Rory Alsop♦ Feb 8 at 10:53
@RoryAlsop, thanks for the link. I have studied well-known steganography-related tools lists, but none can do the mentioned task, so it seems. Perhaps the optimal way is to implement such a tool. – Konstantin Boyandin Feb 10 at 15:53
This does seem like it has all the necessary information covered on the site, but it combines not only steganography, but also deniable encryption. As I understand it, certain steganography solutions can provide the solution by having multiple passwords encode information without collision in the carrier, but it could also be accomplished by just about any deniable scheme. – AJ Henderson Feb 11 at 13:57
To answer your update: use an archival tool to create a single file, encrypt that file, then embed it. – Jeff Ferland♦ Feb 20 at 2:17
1  
@Jeff Ferland, I am afraid you do not understand the purpose. There should be plausible deniability. There should not be possible to prove there are more than one message in the data. And if you are forced to reveal password, you can just decrypt alternate, harmless message. – Konstantin Boyandin Feb 21 at 4:08

2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

You can easily achieve this goal using any real robust steganography technique.

share|improve this answer
Any example of existing, open-source software implementing real robust steganography, able to handle the task I described? – Konstantin Boyandin Feb 28 at 2:12
Sorry, I've not seen any open-source implementation. These are mostly scientific approaches (not practical). – Mahdi Mar 3 at 5:58
Of course there's enough details to implement them on your own (or ask someone to do that for you). – Mahdi Mar 3 at 5:59
up vote 0 down vote

A litte tool with fast coding: https://github.com/sanguinarius/MultiStega Read the README file, it's a beta tool but functionnal.

Regards

share|improve this answer
Thanks for the link. Again, it's not what I need - no ability to hide several messages and give the key to safe one when you are forced to reveal passphrase. I am already developing the utility myself. – Konstantin Boyandin Feb 25 at 23:21

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.