14 DAY TRIAL // Hiding your secrets and sending them can be pretty difficult nowadays. There are several methods to hide the files on your computer from the eyes of the "enemy", but none of them is secure, as in a few mouse clicks all your secrets can be revealed. So let's see what we can find on the Internet to help you in preserving your secrets. I have tested all sorts of softwares that apply passwords to your files and folders (WinGuard Pro 2006, Advanced File Lock) and you can even use WinZip for such matters.
The software I am going to test now is called Stegnographer, a pretty unusual name for a software one would say, but it is strictly linked to steganography, 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.
That's right; the method I am suggesting for you to keep your secrets secret is to disguise your files as something else. There are similar softwares on the market, but I could not find a freeware application to offer me the same results as one that has a price tag on it.
The name of the developer is REDEEMER and this is the first version of the software. The interface of the application is not much, in fact the program loses a lot from the moment of its launching as there is nothing attractive in its looks. If we add the fact that the Restore button does not work properly, then you will catch my drift.
The largest part of the application window is occupied by the window where the image containing the hidden file should be loaded. In the right side of the screen there is a series of buttons that help you in your secret hiding task.
The first thing you should do when opening the application for the first time is to lock it with a user name and a password so that only you have access to using it. This can be done by going into the File menu and choosing Create User option. If a time comes when you think your password has been compromised than you can change it to a much tougher, harder to crack one.
The Tools menu contains all the options you have displayed in the right side of the application window. But there is one tool hidden in there that allows you to hide messages in the pictures you send. Thus you can correspond with your "agency" without the others to know your way of sending the info. Or, to com down to earth, you can add text to the pictures on your computer, just like adding metadata to a regular image file.
There are three steps to follow in order to attach a hidden file to your pictures. The first one is loading a picture. Next you will have to choose Put File button and to browse for the file you want to disguise. Care should be taken when choosing the secret file as it should not exceed the carrier file's capacity. In other words, the larger the image the larger the secret to be disguised.
The last step of the operation is saving the file. You can save it wherever you want and under what name you wish as long as you remember which image is the carrier and which is the regular file. The capacity of the picture is displayed after loading it, in the right side of the window, under Get File.
Extracting your secret is practically as easy as hiding it, the only difference is that instead of choosing Put File you will have to select Get File option.
The Good
The software is free and it really works, but only with pictures.
The Bad
Beginning with the interface and ending with the fact that the carrier file can be only image files and their capacity is restricted by the carrier size.
The size of the resulted file is a bit too large not to look suspicious.
The Truth
I would rather stick with Steganography, a similar software that costs $24.95. But it is a whole lot more than Stegnographer.
Anyway, for a freeware it is pretty good and, as I said before, it works.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
