Dec. 23, 2008 -- In a move likely to thrill conspiracy theorists and government spooks, scientists from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are testing the limits of illicit messages hidden inside everyday communications, such as photographs, videos and newspapers. "If you open up the communication and it looks just fine, that's a successful communication," said Jeremiah Harmson, who did most of the calculations while working on his doctorate at RPI and now works at Google. "But if you can't read it or it just looks suspicious, then you have failed." This practice, called steganography, is the flip side of cryptography. In cryptography, everyone involved knows a message has been sent. What's not known -- except to the decoder -- is the content of the message. From WWII-era Enigma machines to modern-day computer bit encryption, a lot of effort has gone into devising new ways of cracking these codes. Related Content: Howstuffworks.com: Problems With Traditional Cryptography More Tech News Discovery Tech: Top 10 Spy Gadgets Steganography hides the fact that a message was even sent, usually by hiding it in plain sight. In the movie "A Beautiful Mind," the main character, played by Russell Crowe, becomes convinced that the Communists are hiding messages inside news stories and loses his mind trying to decipher them. Crowe's character was paranoid, but his fears were not entirely unfeasible. Messages can be very simple. Changing a "zero" to a "one" in a particular location could mean either "yes" or "no." Messages this basic would be virtually impossible to detect if hidden inside an image or other large file. In fact, the sender wouldn't even have to change anything. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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