Steghide - Documentation

Here are some examples of how steghide can be used. Take a look at these to get a first impression. If you want more detailed information please read the man(ual) page.

The basic usage is as follows:

  $ steghide embed -cf picture.jpg -ef secret.txt

  Enter passphrase:

  Re-Enter passphrase:

  embedding "secret.txt" in "picture.jpg"... done

This command will embed the file secret.txt in the cover file picture.jpg.

After you have embedded your secret data as shown above you can send the file picture.jpg to the person who should receive the secret message. The receiver has to use steghide in the following way:

  $ steghide extract -sf picture.jpg

  Enter passphrase:

  wrote extracted data to "secret.txt".

If the supplied passphrase is correct, the contents of the original file secret.txt will be extracted from the stego file picture.jpg and saved in the current directory.

If you have received a file that contains embedded data and you want to get some information about it before extracting it, use the info command:

  $ steghide info received_file.wav

  "received_file.wav":

    format: wave audio, PCM encoding

    capacity: 3.5 KB

  Try to get information about embedded data ? (y/n) y

  Enter passphrase:

    embedded file "secret.txt":

      size: 1.6 KB

      encrypted: rijndael-128, cbc

      compressed: yes

After printing some general information about the stego file (format, capacity) you will be asked if steghide should try to get information about the embedded data. If you answer with yes you have to supply a passphrase. Steghide will then try to extract the embedded data with that passphrase and - if it succeeds - print some information about it.