Cryptosteganography
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A Python steganography module to store messages or files protected with AES-256 encryption inside an image.
Steganography is the art of concealing information within different types of media objects such as images or audio files, in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message.
By default, steganography is a type of security through obscurity.
Additionally, this module also enhances the security of the steganography through data encryption. The data concealed is encrypted using AES-256 encryption, a popular algorithm used in symmetric key cryptography.
Prerequisites
Python 3+ <https://www.python.org/downloads>
pip3 <https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable> (Most Linux systems come with Python 3 installed by default).
Dependencies Installation (Ubuntu)
.. code:: bash
$ sudo apt-get install python3-pip
Dependencies Installation (MacOS)
To install Python3, I recommend using the Homebrew package manager. The script will explain what changes it will make and prompt you before the installation begins.
.. code:: bash
$ ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
Edit your ~/.profile to include (if it is not already there):
.. code:: bash
export PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:$PATH
To install Python 3:
.. code:: bash
$ brew install python3
Installation
To install the package, just run:
.. code:: bash
$ pip3 install cryptosteganography
Usage
Use as a library in a Python program ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Store a message string inside an image
.. code:: python
from cryptosteganography import CryptoSteganography
crypto_steganography = CryptoSteganography('My secret password key')
Save the encrypted file inside the image
crypto_steganography.hide('input_image_name.jpg', 'output_image_file.png', 'My secret message')
secret = crypto_steganography.retrieve('output_image_file.png') print(secret) # My secret message
Store a binary file inside an image
Note: This only works if the concealed file size is smaller than the input image.
.. code:: python
from cryptosteganography import CryptoSteganography
message = None with open('sample.mp3', "rb") as f: message = f.read()
crypto_steganography = CryptoSteganography('My secret password key')
Save the encrypted file inside the image
crypto_steganography.hide('input_image_name.jpg', 'output_image_file.png', message)
Retrieve the file (the previous crypto_steganography instance could be used but I instantiate a brand new object
with the same password key just to demonstrate that it can be used to decrypt)
crypto_steganography = CryptoSteganography('My secret password key')
decrypted_bin = crypto_steganography.retrieve('output_image_file.png')
Save the data to a new file
with open('decrypted_sample.mp3', 'wb') as f: f.write(secret_bin)
Use as a Python program '''''''''''''''''''''''
Check help at the command line prompt to learn how to use it.
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography -h
usage: cryptosteganography [-h] {save,retrieve} ...
A python steganography script that save/retrieve a text/file (AES 256 encrypted) inside an image.
positional arguments:
{save,retrieve} sub-command help
save save help
retrieve retrieve help
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
Save sub command help
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography save -h
usage: cryptosteganography save [-h] -i INPUT_IMAGE_FILE (-m MESSAGE | -f MESSAGE_FILE) -o OUTPUT_IMAGE_FILE
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i INPUT_IMAGE_FILE, --input INPUT_IMAGE_FILE
Input image file.
-m MESSAGE, --message MESSAGE
Your secret message to hide (non-binary).
-f MESSAGE_FILE, --file MESSAGE_FILE
Your secret to hide (Text or any binary file).
-o OUTPUT_IMAGE_FILE, --output OUTPUT_IMAGE_FILE
Output image containing the secret.
Retrieve sub command help
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography retrieve -h
usage: cryptosteganography retrieve [-h] -i INPUT_IMAGE_FILE [-o RETRIEVED_FILE]
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i INPUT_IMAGE_FILE, --input INPUT_IMAGE_FILE
Input image file.
-o RETRIEVED_FILE, --output RETRIEVED_FILE
Output for the binary secret file (Text or any binary file).
Save message example
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography save -i 4824157.png -m "My secret message..." -o output.png Enter the key password: Output image output.png saved with success
Retrieve message example
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography retrieve -i output.png Enter the key password: My secret message...
Save file example
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography save -i input_image_name.jpg -f duck_logo.pem -o output_file.png Enter the key password: Output image output_file.png saved with success
Retrieve file example
.. code:: bash
$ cryptosteganography retrieve -i output.png -o decrypted_file Enter the key password: decrypted_file saved with success
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE <https://github.com/computationalcore/cryptosteganography/blob/main/LICENSE>_ file for details.
Authors
Vin Busquet GitHub <https://github.com/computationalcore>_
Limitations
- Only works with Python 3.
- It does not work if the concealed file is greater than the original input file.
- Output image is limited to PNG format only.
- I did not test with all concealed file types. Feel free to
report <https://github.com/computationalcore/cryptosteganography/issues>_ any bug you find.
Contributing
For details, check out CONTRIBUTING.md <https://github.com/computationalcore/cryptosteganography/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md>_.
Changelog
For details, check out CHANGELOG.md <https://github.com/computationalcore/cryptosteganography/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md>_.
Acknowledgments
PyCryptodome <https://github.com/Legrandin/pycryptodome>_Stéganô <https://github.com/cedricbonhomme/Stegano>_