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Welcome to the Steganography Analysis and Research Center
A Backbone Security Center of Excellence
News > SARC Press Releases
PRESS RELEASE
August 21, 2006
FAIRMONT, WV - Backbone Security's Steganography Analysis and Research Center (SARC)
has released version 2.0 of StegAlyzerAS (Steganography
Analyzer Artifact Scanner) and StegAlyzerSS (Steganography
Analyzer Signature Scanner). The new versions have significant new improvements
including the ability to scan images of seized storage media in various formats
and an enhanced user interface.
Steganography, which literally meaning "covered writing," has been used throughout
history for secret communications. Digital steganography represents a particularly
significant threat today because of the large number of digital steganography applications
freely available on the Internet that can be used to hide any digital file inside
of another digital file. Use of these applications, which are both easy to obtain
and simple to use, allows criminals to conceal their activities in cyber space.
StegAlyzerAS gives computer forensic examiners the ability to scan either the entire
file system, or individual directories, on the suspect storage media or EnCase,
Raw (dd), or SMART-formatted images of the suspect storage media for fingerprints
(hash values) of steganography application artifacts (files associated with steganography
applications). And, unlike other popular forensic tools, this product offers the
option to search the Windows Registry™ to determine if any Registry keys exist
that are associated with particular steganography applications.
StegAlyzerSS gives computer forensic examiners the ability to scan every file on
the suspect storage media for the presence of hexadecimal byte patterns, known as
signatures, associated with particular steganography applications. If a known signature
is detected, extraction of the hidden information may be possible directly within
the application using automated steganography extraction algorithms, by using the
associated steganography application, or by using more advanced and complex techniques.
In addition to user interface and performance enhancements, Version 2.0 provides
the capability to scan for signatures in files in EnCase, Raw (dd), or SMART-formatted
images of suspect storage media.
Glenn Watt, President and CEO of Backbone Security, summed up the new product improvements
by saying "These new and improved versions of our popular forensic software tools
will greatly assist the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement officials
in their ability to detect the use of steganography to distribute child pornography
and successfully prosecute the perpetrators. We have consistently worked in partnership
with all levels of law enforcement officials to make our products more robust and
easier for their computer forensic examiners to use. Our tools allow them to discover
evidence of criminal activity concealed in innocent looking files. The fact that
child pornography is heinous and is being perpetrated on our most vulnerable citizens,
makes me proud that Backbone Security's SARC is making a valuable contribution to
the efforts of law enforcement in fighting this despicable crime."
About Backbone Security – Backbone is a full-service IT security company specializing
in vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and real-time intrusion monitoring.
Backbone is a Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standard Approved Scanning Vendor
and offers a One-Stop Scanning Solution for compliance with PCI-DSS scanning requirements.
About the SARC - The SARC is a Center of Excellence in Steganography Research and
Development within Backbone and is focused on providing a national repository of
digital steganography applications, fingerprints, and signatures and developing
state-of-the art tools for detecting and extracting information hidden with digital
steganography applications.
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