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S-Tool v4.

0 - Steganography Software
Tutorial
CREATE IMAGE WHICH CONTAINS A HIDDEN FILE 1. Click on the Stools4.zip file and extract all files to your computer. 2. Select the S-Tools.exe file and open the steganography software tool.

3. The main window of the program appears. 4. Three buttons are available on the main window: File Window Help

5. With both the working directory and the S-Tools program open minimize both windows and place side-by-side. 6. The S-Tools program is a drag and drop software. The files used to create the steganography file can be dragged from the directory into the S-Tools program. 7. Select a base file that will be used to hide a hidden file. A *.jpg file was selected as the base file. Select the file from the directory and drag it over the S-Tools main window and release the file. 8. A dialogue box appears indicating that the file type is unknown. Supported file types for audio and image files are shown below: Audio - *.wav Image - *.bmp and *.gif

S-Tool v4.0 - Steganography Software


9. Select a valid audio file or image as the base file for the steganography file. The barn_1.bmp was selected and dragged onto the main window of the S-Tools program. The image is opened. 10. The Barn_1.bmp and the Actions window are now in the S-Tools program. 11. The Action window is a process window which displays the process steps as a file is being hidden within a base file.

12. Place the working directory and the base file side-by-side. 13. Select a file to hide within the base file. 14. The *.mp3 audio is selected and dragged on top of the base image. Release the file while the cursor is still on top of the base file. 15. A dialogue box will appear asking the user to enter and verify a passphrase. Additionally, the user will have to select an encryption algorithm. 16. Notice that the title of the dialogue box is Hiding 15,849 bytes. The user is attempting to hide 15, 849 bytes of data into a steganography file. 17. Enter a passphrase in both the passphrase and verify passphrase text boxes. 18. If the same passphrase is not entered in both text boxes the OK button will be grayed out and the user will not be able to proceed to creating the steganography file. 19. Select the OK button after entering a valid passphrase. 20. The S-Tools main window will appear and a new file will be visible. The name of the file will be called hidden_data by default. 21. At this point, the original file has been selected and opened, a second file have been selected and opened, and a passphrase has been selected. 22. Now the user has to save the steganography file.

S-Tool v4.0 - Steganography Software


23. Place the cursor on top of the hidden data image and select the right mouse button. The user will have four options available to them: Save Save As Properties Reveal

24. Selecting the Save and Save As buttons for the first time will open a Save As dialogue box. 25. Select a directory path and filename, then select the Save button. 26. On this step the user is selecting a filename for the steganography file, which contains a hidden file. 27. If the user is going to use S-Tools to open the steganography file, a filename extension of either *.bmp, *.gif or *.wav must be used when saving the steganography file. 28. After selecting the Save button the user can locate the saved steganography file in the working directory. 29. Selecting the Properties button while the cursor is over any image will display the following properties: Width and Height of the image Bits per pixel Memory Usage (file size in bytes) Compression

30. Selecting the Properties button while the cursor is over any audio file will display the following properties: Audio Channels Sample Frequency Bits per sample

S-Tool v4.0 - Steganography Software


31. Selecting the Reveal button will display a passphrase dialogue box. 32. A passphrase must be entered twice in the dialogue box and the correct encryption algorithm must be selected. 33. Notice that the title of the dialogue box has changed to Revealing from barn_1.bmp 34. Enter a passphrase twice, select the encryption algorithm, and select the OK button. 35. The main window of the S-Tools program will appear. 36. In the action window the user can see that the progress of revealing a hidden message is at zero percent (0%). 37. The original bmp was accidentally chosen. Using the Reveal button on a file which does not contain a hidden file results in no file being extracted from the base file. 38. Using the incorrect passphrase or incorrect encryption algorithm will also result in no file being extracted from the base file. 39. Selecting the Reveal button, entering a correct passphrase and selecting the correct encryption algorithm will result in a dialogue box displaying. 40. The action window will show the progress increasing from zero percent until it reaches 100%. 41. A Revealed Archive dialogue box will display which contains the file name and size of the hidden file.

42. Place the cursor over the hidden file and select the right mouse button. 43. The user will be able to either Save the hidden file or gather the properties for the hidden file. 44. The properties dialogue box will show the user the file name, compressed size and normal size. 45. The user cannot open the hidden file from the STools program. The user can retrieve the properties or save the file.

S-Tool v4.0 - Steganography Software


46. Select the Save As button. 47. A Save As dialogue box will appear. 48. Enter a valid file name, select the working directory and select the Save button.

49. The main window of the S-Tool program will appear.

50. Locate the files in the working directory. 51. Open the files using a multimedia software program and ensure that the files were extracted from the steganography file successfully. 52.

S-Tool v4.0 - Steganography Software


ANALYZE ALL FILES USED IN CREATION OF ENCRYPTED IMAGE 1. The user needs to locate the files used for encrypting the message on their computer. 2. A Total of four images were used to support the creation of the steganography image. Below are the image characteristics.

BARN_1.BMP

Pixel Dimensions: 384 x 288 Document Size: 2.667 x 2 Resolution : 144 pixels/inch File Size : 352 KB Pixel Dimensions: 384 x 288 Document Size: 2.667 x 2 Resolution : 144 pixels/inch File Size : 352 KB Audio Channels 1 mono Sampling Frequency 11,025 Hz Bits per Sample - 16 File Size : 38 KB Audio Channels 1 mono Sampling Frequency 11,025 Hz Bits per Sample - 16 File Size : 38 KB

HIDDEN_BARN.BMP

HOUSTON.WAV

HIDDEN_HOUSTON.WAV

Barn_1.bmp Original image taken with digital camera and saved to computer in *.bmp format Houston.wav Original audio sound file downloaded from freeware web site and saved to computer. Hidden_Barn.bmp After embedding the Houston.wav file into the barn_1.bmp the file was saved as a new file. There are no physical differences between the original image file and this file which contains the hidden audio file. Hidden_Houston.wav Opened the hidden_barn.bmp file and extracted the hidden *.wav file. Saved this file to the working directory. There are no physical differences between the original audio file and this file which was extracted from the steganography image hidden_barn.bmp.

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