News > SARC Press Releases
High-Tech Researchers Looking to Uncover Hidden Criminal Data
Effort to Seek Out New Ways to Detect Hidden Information in Computer Files
PRESS RELEASE
February 12, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC - West Virginia researchers will seek out new ways to detect the
hidden information that criminals and even terrorists can embed in harmless-looking
computer files, Congressman Alan B. Mollohan said today.
Mollohan, D-W.Va., has earmarked $500,000 in U.S. Justice Department funding to
start a Steganography Analysis and Research Center (SARC) in north central West
Virginia. Backbone Security of Fairmont, W.Va., will collaborate with Fairmont State
College and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) on the effort.
Steganography, which means "covered writing," is the ancient practice of secretly
passing along information by hiding it within ordinary objects. Early examples include
invisible ink messages written between the lines of a letter. In later years, information
has been hidden by various means in books, paintings, photographs and microfilm.
"The digital age is providing new avenues for criminals and terrorists to communicate
with one another and transmit illegal material," Mollohan said, noting that sound
and image files are two potential carriers of hidden data.
"Uncovering 'digital steganography' is a difficult task. As the use of these techniques
grows, it will be increasingly important for law enforcement officers to have the
resources needed to detect and defeat them. The mission of the SARC will be to help
develop such tools," he said.
According to some news accounts, the September 11 hijackers may have communicated
with each other by steganography as they planned their attacks. In addition to its
possible use by terrorists, steganography is illegally employed in Internet attacks,
child pornography trafficking and identity theft.
When fully functional, the West Virginia SARC will conduct research into methodologies
and technologies for uncovering steganography. It will share the results of that
research with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and provide consulting
services during forensic analysis of seized computers.
Mollohan obtained the money to launch the center through his position on the House
appropriations subcommittee that funds the Justice Department. The earmark was part
of the federal government's final 2004 spending measure, which passed Congress and
was signed into law last month by President Bush.