Terrorists and steganography

ZDNet ^ | September 24, 2001 | Bruce Schneier

[Aliska]

I think it could easily be done with no special software if you knew in advance where and how to collect the data. Also one must remember that coded pieces of the puzzle could be transmitted in a "collection", etc. One would have to gather all the various components to "see" the whole picture.

For example, someone could pose as a nutcase and write something different each day to a forum. Most would learn to ignore those type of messages but they could have meaning to someone else. Christian newsgroups would not be immune from that sort of thing. Or new age. Also ads in papers, etc.

[Le-Roy]

Check out S-Tools. Instructions with the files detail how to perform a test. You will be amazed.

[alethia]

Not having watched the video all the way through, I wasn't sure if there were markings on some of the rocks, things arranged in a certain way. The sip of water at the end of the video -- while not steganography -- looked to be some sort of a message to little paranoid me.

Not being fluent in Arabic, I'm sure that messages can be held in the sequencing and articulation of various phrases -- almost like the radio codes used during WWII.

[Cicero]

Classified ads in newspapers are an ancient way to get the message out. They can be completely meaningless to anyone but the recipient, if it is agreed beforehand that one message or word means this, and another message means that. Hopefully the FBI will keep an eye on this possible channel, although I don't know how much they can do about it, other than alert the people who accept ads to watch out for suspicious calls--whatever that means.

[Aliska]

Good thinking. I noticed the formation of the rocks and wondered is a spy satellite might be able to "match" them.

Also little things like wearing the watch on his right wrist instead of left, etc. Invoking Allah in certain sentences and other things I don't care to waste my time analyzing.

[Aliska]

Good point. And you wouldn't necessarily have to subscribe to the periodical either. You could go to the local library or grocery store and look them up.

[general_re]

Yeah, that's another way. Actually, that's pretty close to what's known as a "dummy code". Basically the principle behind dummy codes is that you and I get together beforehand and agree on a location and a message - e.g., I leave a message on the "Word of the day" thread to you that says "John has a big hat."

And since you and I got together beforehand, we both know that "John has a big hat" means that all the hijackers are in place, and you should carry out your task first thing tomorrow morning (or whatever it is we previously agreed that it should mean).

Now, the advantage to a dummy code is that you can communicate in plain sight, passing messages back and forth for as long as you like, because the "code" is absolutely uncrackable to an outsider. Well, not totally uncrackable, but if you and I memorize the codes and don't write them down - thus preventing the code from falling into the wrong hands - the only way anyone will ever crack the code will be by literally beating it out of one of us...

[moonhawk]

I thought steganography was a typo... Very interesting stuff, but the part that cracked me up was the mental image of "Afghani porn."

[Aliska]

Yes, and there are other even more blatant, "in-your-face" ways I can envision but will leave it at that. It is interesting how one would go about "de-coding" the messages and knowing what to look for.

Shortwave radio would be another good way. I don't know how useful Morse code is these days but I wouldn't rule that out either.

[NovemberCharlie]

The part that cracked me up was the mental image of "Afghani porn."

I got hung up on the idea of the NSA maintaining a comprehensive database of pornographic images.

[NovemberCharlie]

Morse code is good, but it might be better to use a different encoding of dots and dashes, if you want to be more secure.

[general_re]

...and just as a quick follow-up to myself, if you caught the squib on the news earlier where Condi Rice called the news networks and asked them to be careful about airing video from bin Laden, then you understand that dummy codes are exactly what the White House is worried about - that in those videos there might be some innocuous-sounding phrase, or something simple like the color of his turban, or which hand his watch is on, or whatever, that seems perfectly ordinary to us, but that has a very special and specific meaning to his agents abroad...

Scary.

[drZ]

http://liquid2k.com/zox/now.jpg�
clean version

http://liquid2k.com/zox/now2.jpg�
digimarked version with text 1999,2001 encoded into image

[opus_bloom]

I wonder if there's a hidden message in here somewhere...

Here's the theory

[Fixit]

From the "Bert is Evil" site:

The Bert is evil Mirror site is working better than the original these days.

[NovemberCharlie]

or which hand his watch is on, or whatever, that seems perfectly ordinary to us, but that has a very special and specific meaning to his agents abroad...

Since he's a Moslem, I'd expect him to wear his watch on his right hand, since the left is 'unclean' and only to be used for wiping one's *ss.

[Fixit]

oops, I blew the link there. Original Bert is Evil site

[general_re]

Well, okay - maybe not that particular signal ;)

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[Fearless Flyers]

"To make it work in practice, the terrorists would need to set up some sort of code. Just as Hanssen knew to collect his package when he saw the chalk mark, a virtual terrorist will need to know to look for his message. (He can't be expected to search every picture.) There are lots of ways to communicate a signal: timestamp on the message, an uncommon word in the subject line, etc. Use your imagination here--the possibilities are limitless."

Placing personal ads in the National Enquirer could be great way to communicate. In final insult you could submit the ad in person and leave a special gift for the messenger.