You can hide any ZIP, RAR and 7z archive in any JPG, PNG, GIF (animated or not), BMP or SWF (flash) file.
(1) Put the image file and the archive file in the same directory;
(2) Open a DOS window from that directory;
(3) At the DOS prompt use this syntax:
copy /b [image] + [archive] [new_image]
Example:
copy /b mypic.jpg + myzip.zip hiddenzip.jpg
You'll see the [new_image] file normally when you open it with the associated image viewer, but if you open it with an archiver you'll see the contents of the archive file. The archiver, of course, must be able to read the archive format that is hidden in the image.
But how?
It's because image files are read in such way that all data after the end of the file is ignored. But archive files are read the opposite way: all data before the beginning of the archive is ignored. So both can be merged (as binary files = /b) and still work.
This way, you can hide sensitive data in images and share whatever you want with your friends by email and instant messengers, and even post serial numbers or keygens in puppies' images. Archives may be encrypted with strong cryptography, and there's no need to use any particular program that does steganography. If the sender can access a command prompt and the recipient knows how to use WinRAR or 7-Zip, they're done.
Some advantages of this method (over software-dependent solutions)
- There's no need to have any special program installed
- No software compatibility issues
- You can store files knowing that they will work in the future
- You have the choice to use a password or not
- You'll have always up to date cryptography (just update your archiver)
Are you really lazy?
Some lazy drag-and-drop people just hate the command prompt, so I found a 5 kb solution for them:
- drag-and-drop a target file to bind to (1#2)
- drag-and-drop an attachment file to be bound (2)
- click the "Go" menu item to bind the two files together
| Code: |
| http://www.divshare.com/download/1274928-442 |
Last but not least, Dariusz Stanislawek, the author of dsBind, says that "image, audio or executable files, eg. JPG, GIF, MP3, WAV, EXE, will still function normally when such an attachment is present". So, it seems that audio and executable files behave like image files (all data after the end of the file is ignored), and you can hide archives in audio and executables files also... Hey, is this cool or what?
NOTE
I've discovered another detail that may be interesting. If you use the 7-Zip context menu in a file manager, you'll see that it will show the option "open file" when you right-click a PNG file, even if it does not have a hidden archive inside! And it will not show the "open file" option if you right-click a JPG, GIF or BMP file.
That's strange... Why?
Well, let's try to guess. The PNG format has born as a free format (no patents); and 7-Zip is free software, so it seems that the 7-Zip team know this trick and support PNG files as they are patent-free. It makes sense, but things are not so simple: if you right-click a PSD or SWF file, 7-Zip will also show the option "open file"! Why? I just don't know.
Anyway, it's good to know that this trick may work also with PSD files and with TAR.GZ archives. But it will work under certain circunstances; for instance, you cannot open a PSD file with WinRAR, only with 7-Zip; and for some strange reason, not all TAR.GZ files will work. That's why I do not mention these formats as working ones in this post.
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