Types of Steganography
Steganography can be divided into categories by the kind of technique used to encrypt a message, as demonstrated by this handy chart found in the FBI’s Overview of Steganography for Computer Forensics Examiner:
Technical Steg: uses methods like invisible ink and microdots to hide a message
Linguistic Steg: hides a message in a nonobvious way like within another file
Semagrams: hiding a message using signs or symbols that look innocuous
Open Codes: hiding a message in a legitimate looking carrier, sometimes called overt communication
Jargon Code: communicating using language that is meaningless to outsiders but is understood by those intended to receive the message.
Covered Ciphers: hides a message openly so that anyone aware of its existence or how to decrypt it can recover the message.
For this blog, I’m focusing on linguistic steganography using open codes, which may or may not be further encrypted using jargon code or covered ciphers.