Computer security system and method

• US 9,519,776 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Wood
• Original Assignee: Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit
• Inventors: Wood, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Reza, Mohammad W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Khoi
• Application Number:
  US14/267,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20150047037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

The present invention is a computer security system and method in which the various algorithms not only do not search for or detect the presence of a steganographic or other hidden image in a data file or across data files, but also includes at least one or more combined approaches for altering and neutralizing any hidden messages without significantly detracting from the underlying integrity of the data file or files thus treated.

Claims

1. A computer security method consisting essentially of

selecting a computer;

selecting a program embodied in said computer configured to execute steps;

said program being free from any code or algorithm for identifying the presence of a steganographic payload in a computer file to be analyzed by said program; and

said program containing algorithms to remove one or more hidden messages in a data file or across data files by selecting at least one data file containing a hidden message and selected from the group consisting of an image file, an audio file, a video file, a Flash-Adobe type file and a Metadata document support type file, and

changing in said at least one data file some or all of the one or more least significant bit or bits in bytes that are used to represent image colors or grey scale, audio sounds, animation, spacing, font characteristics, page layout characteristics, metadata structures, packet headers and/or video within multimedia data files, in a way that cannot be reversed once the change is deployed, by i) changing all the least significant bits to 1;

or ii) changing all the least significant bits to 0;

or iii) randomly changing some of the one or more least significant bits;

or iii) incrementing or decrementing the value of the least significant bit by some value;

or iv) using some computer algorithm, program, or module that alters the least significant bits, prior to any reception or transmission of the data file, wherein when said program is deployed using a computer to process at least one data file, said hidden message in said data file is neutralized.

2. The computer security method according to claim 1, wherein said data file is treated by said computer security system and method prior to transferring said file from a secured computer network to another computer network.

3. The computer security method according to claim 1 further including a scrambling method that adjusts the bits in said data file.

4. The computer security method according to claim 1 wherein said method includes conversion methods that convert each least significant bit in each byte in an image file to either all “

0s”

or all “

1s”

.

5. The computer security method according to claim 1 wherein said method includes applying encryption methods that neutralize any steganographic embedding or tracking of any hidden message in said data file.

6. The computer security method according to claim 1 wherein said data file contains at least one hidden message and at least one decoy message.