Automated Programs to Detect Hidden Messages in Social Networks

Clandestine communication between terrorists is a real world problem that proves to be challenging to tackle. When this clandestine communication is taken to social networks, it becomes increasingly problematic since no groups exist that actively monitor these networks for such activity. In this presentation, automated programs will be discussed in regards to their use in online social networks to crawl and detect hidden messages. Steganography techniques will be introduced as a formidable way to hide secret messages in social networks and Steganalysis techniques will be discussed as a method to detect hidden messages. The feasibility of creating an automated program to crawl online social networks will be reviewed. This research plans to analyze the possibility of creating a simple, yet effective, program that will be able to pull apart imagery found in images on social networks and be able to detect whether or not hidden messages are present. This research project was jointly-sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Postgraduate School.