Steganography and Its Applications in Security

Steganography is the dark cousin of cryptography, the use of codes. While cryptography provides privacy, steganography is intended to provide secrecy. Steganography is a method of covertly communicating. Steganography is a process that involves hiding a message in an appropriate carrier for example an image or an audio file. The carrier can then be sent to a receiver without anyone else knowing that it contains a hidden message. This is a process, which can be used for example by civil rights organizations in repressive states to communicate their message to the outside world without their own government being aware of it. In this article we have tried to elucidate the different approaches towards implementation of Steganography using ‘multimedia’ file (text, static image, audio and video). Steganalysis is a newly emerging branch of data processing that seeks the identification of steganographic covers, and if possible message extraction. It is similar to cryptanalysis in cryptography. The technique is ancient emerging monster that have gained immutable notice as it have newly penetrated the world of digital communication security. Objective is not only to prevent the message being read but also to hide its existence.