Image Steganography with GH0STB1T

Complete guide for hiding data in image files using the GH0STB1T: 1MAGESTEG0 Python package.

Overview

GH0STB1T: 1MAGESTEG0 allows you to hide secret files inside image carriers using Palette, SVG XML, or LSB (Least Significant Bit) steganography. The data is embedded in the image samples in a way that's imperceptible to human perception.

Installation

pip install git+https://github.com/kariemoorman/ghostbit.git@latest

Basic Usage

Encoding Files

from ghostbit.imagestego import ImageMultiFormatCoder

# Create coder instance
coder = ImageMultiFormatCoder()

# Encode files
coder.encode(
    carrier_file="image.png",
    secret_files=["document.txt", "photo.jpg"],
    password="<STRONG_PASSWORD>",
)

Decoding Files

from ghostbit.imagestego import ImageMultiFormatCoder

# Create coder instance
coder = ImageMultiFormatCoder()

# Decode files
coder.decode(
    encoded_file="image_encoded.png",
    password="<STRONG_PASSWORD>",
)

Analyzing Files

from ghostbit.imagestego import ImageMultiFormatCoder

# Create coder instance
coder = ImageMultiFormatCoder()

# Check if file contains hidden data
coder.analyze(
    image_path="image.png"
)

Supported Formats

Input (Carrier):

• •PNG, JPEG, TIFF, SVG, GIF, BMP, WEBP

Output:

• •PNG, TIFF, SVG, GIF, BMP, WEBP

Secret Files:

• •ANY file type (e.g., documents, images, videos, zip)

Password Requirements

Generate a password with 12+ characters including mixed case, numbers, and symbols.

import uuid

def generate_uuid_password() -> str:
    """Generate a password from UUID (128-bit random)"""
    return str(uuid.uuid4())
# Example
generate_uuid_password().replace('-', '')

Why This Matters:

• •Password protects hidden data
• •No password recovery; save password in a secure location for decode
• •Weak passwords can be brute-forced using dictionary attacks

Encryption

Always use encryption for sensitive data:

# With password
coder.encode(
    cover_path="image.png",
    secret_files=["confidential.pdf"],
    password="<STRONG_PASSWORD>"  # AES-256 encryption
)

# Without encryption (not recommended)
coder.encode(
    cover_path="image.png",
    secret_files=["public_data.txt"],
    # No password = unencrypted
)

Best Practices

1. •Check Capacity First: Ensure carrier can hold your secret files
2. •Use Strong Passwords: 12+ characters with mixed case, numbers, symbols
3. •Lossless Formats: Use PNG or BMP for output to preserve data
4. •Unique Passwords: Don't reuse passwords across files
5. •Test Recovery: Always test decoding before deleting originals

Security Considerations

1. •Password Strength: Use cryptographically strong passwords
2. •No Password Recovery: Lost passwords cannot be recovered
3. •File Deletion: Securely delete original files after encoding
4. •Transmission: Encoded files appear as normal images
5. •Deniability: No obvious signs of hidden data

Performance Tips

1. •Use larger carrier files for better capacity
2. •Compress secret files before encoding
3. •Process multiple small files together rather than separately