Digital security expert finds hidden messages

Not only is Jessica Fridrich, professor of electrical and computer engineering, a wiz at solving the Rubik’s cube (in 17 seconds), she’s developed ways to detect hidden messages in digital images.

Fridrich knows all aspects of information hiding in digital images, including watermarking for authentication and tamper detection, self-embedding, robust watermarking, steganography – the science of hiding messages -- and steganalysis, and forensic analysis of digital images. She and her team of researchers have even developed software that can detect hidden messages in digital messages. More recently, she has found a way to tie a particular digital photo to the camera that was used to take it. 

In the near future, Fridrich’s technique promises to find application in the analysis of scanned and video imagery, making life more difficult for forgers, or others who rely on the misuse of digital images. “We already know law enforcement wants to be able to use this,” Fridrich said. “What we have right now is a research tool; it’s a raw technology that we will continue to improve.”