A new way to hide files

Now this is interesting....a program that allows you to hide a file WITHIN a file. Put an MP3 in a GIF image, a document inside of an MP3. It looks like a handy way to protect sensitive data, but it is also kind of frightening given the current state of the world. Could this lead to terroists downloading their instructions from Kazaa or WinMX?? Read about it here and lets hear what you folks think about this method of disguising data.


<EDIT> Hmmmm...sorry for the misnomer in the subject folks, this should be called a A new TOOL to hide files.

Nice post, Yea I've tested some progs like this some time ago.

HIP (Hide In Picture)

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HIP (Hide In Picture) is a program that allows you to "hide" files inside bitmaps (.bmp files), and protecting it with a password. The pictures look like normal images, so no one will suspect there is hidden data in them. This technique is known as steganography. You can use a normal cryptography program to protect secret data from other people, but then, even if they aren't able to read it, they will be able to see you are hiding something. With HIP, you can hide your secret data inside an innocent family photograph or even your Windows background, and nobody will ever suspect it.

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JPHIDE and JPSEEK 0.5

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JPHIDE and JPSEEK are programs which allow you to hide a file in a jpeg visual image. There are lots of versions of similar programs available on the internet but JPHIDE and JPSEEK are rather special. The design objective was not simply to hide a file but rather to do this in such a way that it is impossible to prove that the host file contains a hidden file. Given a typical visual image, a low insertion rate (under 5%) and the absence of the original file, it is not possible to conclude with any worthwhile certainty that the host file contains inserted data. As the insertion percentage increases the statistical nature of the jpeg coefficients differs from "normal" to the extent that it raises suspicion. Above 15% the effects begin to become visible to the naked eye. Of course some images are much better than others when used a host file - plenty of fine detail is good. A cloudless blue sky over a snow covered ski paradise is bad. A waterfall in a forest is probably ideal.

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Cheers

It looks quite impressive, and you're right in that its gonna have a lot of uses. SOme bad, some good. BUt that applies to everything. Sensitive data can be well hidden in this. I think I'm gonna d/l and give it a trial, see what its like.

I reckon this method of disguising data is effective. ITs gonna be good.

The use of all powerful tools is dependent of the people that are using it. It is not the weapon that kills but the finger on the trigger.

The biggest problem that I forsee with this is a whole new strain of virus, worms, trojans, and what not.......

Steganography has been around since the mid 90’s in simple command line programs it just has not been widely publicized. Lately some large software companies have used this technique in their programs for "securing" users data by utilizing unused bits of am image. There are ways of telling if an image has been modified but since the bits can be put in any order it is very difficult to tell what is embedded in the file.

It is most definitely scary to think what could be concealed in another file along with today’s forms of encryption and what they could be used for. :confused:

I remember a app called camouflage.. http://www.camouflage.freeserve.co.uk/

it not only hides files in files.. but also encrypts them for you..

realy usefull for mailing stuff through higly monitored (school, work etc) networks..

This is nothing new. They still have programs like this always have always will. Ever heard putting a key logger in a .jpg, .bmp.gif img? Simple yet effective.

You might get suspicious if a 60 by 60 pixel GIF was 40 megabytes though.
:cool:

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You might get suspicious if a 60 by 60 pixel GIF was 40 megabytes though.

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Well of course you would but if the key logger is only 100kb thats still pretty small everyone from antionline would know whats up,but most internet users do not they just point click and download when they see something for free LOL.

This is pretty cool. This reminds me of "wrappers" and alternate data streams, very scary what it could be used for though.

Actually I know of an instance where a wrapper program was used across a P2P network. Anyone remember a program called Wrapster, which would hide files inside of a mp3? All you had to do to see what files were available on Napster was to search for the word Wrapster, and you would get all kinds of files, that sounded and looked like mp3s, but had hidden data. You couldnt password protect the files, but it was still a semi-effective way around napsters mp3-only setup.

Great software ive try it thanks guys

wat i always do is, change the extension to .txt or sth that prevent someone read the file. yes as rcgreen said, it quite strange but, wat i do is i'll change the extension to .sdf org sth else, well games have a lot of weird extension:)

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Could this lead to terroists downloading their instructions from Kazaa or WinMX??
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Na Al i believe that terrorists are hiding their messages on porn sites, so ive it made my duty to inspect each and every pic for hidden content no matter how graphic they may be. im not sure my girlfriend believes me!

LMAO at Tedob

For enhanced security, U could encrypt a file then embed it in another file protected with a password and then change the file extension! That would be pretty safe from prying eyes...

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Originally posted here by Internet Hacker


Well of course you would but if the key logger is only 100kb thats still pretty small everyone from antionline would know whats up,but most internet users do not they just point click and download when they see something for free LOL.

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the hidden stuff is harmless unless you extract it yourself. in other words, if i put a key logger in a picture then sent it to you and you looked at the picture, you would NOT have the key logger installed. even if i used a .exe it wouldnt run(unless i made a program spefically to run it, but then i'd be sending you a trojan anyway). the ONLY way it could be run is if you had the unpacker program and used it on the picture, then ran the exe that came out.

i recently downloaded a game "wolf3D" from kazaa i scaned it then unpacked it and ran it the game didnt do any thing but go to a blank screen so i alt+tab and closed it tryed agian and earsed the files then a day or so later i knowticed that all my .bmp 's where changed to this new icon i whent in and looked at what opened the files and it was a program named quickview and the really wierd thing is if i try to alter any .bmp they all say file locked by another program.
do you think this could have been one of those programs in a program?
if so how do i find out
i've check with ctrl+alt+del and nothing extras running and i've looked in config.sys and autoexec.bat and havent seen any thing new in there but my systems runnig slower and the .bmp 's are changed