Detection of Hidden Information, Covert Channels and Information Flows
Neil F. Johnson, Phil Sallee. Detection of Hidden Information, Covert Channels and Information Flows, Article/Chapter in John G. Voeller (ed.), Wiley Handbook of Science Technology for Homeland Security, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2008.ISBN-10: 0470138483, ISBN-13: 978-0470138489
Keywords
- steganography; steganalysis; covert channels; information hiding
Abstract
- Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one apart from the intended recipient knows of the existence of the message. Hiding or embedding steganographic data digitally is accomplished through the use of mathematical techniques to add information content to digital objects - often images, video, and audio, but even other digital objects such as executable code. Steganalysis is the examination of an object to determine the presence of steganographic content, and potentially to characterize or extract such embedded information. Watermarking refers to embedding content that conveys some information about the cover object (e.g., copyright information). In this context, digital data forensics is the use of science and technology to determine information about how a digital object was formed or modified, even in the absence of the original object. Detection of covert information flows relies on the ability to detect information hidden within a stream of information that is transmitted from one system to another.
