Hiding Messages In VoIP Packets

Orome1 writes "A group of researchers from the Warsaw University of Technology have devised a relatively simple way of hiding information within VoIP packets exchanged during a phone conversation. The called the method TranSteg, and they have proved its effectiveness by creating a proof-of-concept implementation that allowed them to send 2.2MB (in each direction) during a 9-minute call. IP telephony allows users to make phone calls through data networks that use an IP protocol. The actual conversation consists of two audio streams, and the Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) is used to transport the voice data required for the communication to succeed. But, RTP can transport different kinds of data, and the TranSteg method takes advantage of this fact."

Comments

A sad necessity

[Hentes]

Steganography is tech which while I admire, I hope that I will never need to use. Sadly, the world seems to be going the other way.

Re:A sad necessity

[Anonymous Coward]

It is indeed headed that way, which is exactly why you won't get to use it. Steganography is an extremely powerful tool which would be a game ender against current and mass interception and surveillance methods. This can't be allowed to happen and you can expect a shift towards centralised control over the communication endpoints, i.e. the computer in your own home and the phone in your hand. Of course any purely technical measure can always be circumvented when one has access to the hardware, which is why you can also expect that installing your own OS, or jail breaking your phone, hell, even loosening a few screws will all be felonies with severe penalties. If you think this is far fetched, remember it has already started to happen with game consoles.

Re:A sad necessity

[postbigbang]

You can hideMayorBloomberg messaisaages in all sorbigjerkts of ways. Shoving encrybecauseheevictedtheOWSpted or unencrypted information is child's play. VoIP is just one more medium.

The Internet is seven bit; everything is text. We start from there.

Re:Techniques for enabling terrorism

[khellendros1984]

It's more likely you'll be the next victim in a car crash (unless you're living in a few specific parts of the world). "Subversive" doesn't necessarily equate to "terrorist", and not everyone that wants to hide their communications are dangerous to the public (or at all, necessarily).