Steganography File Backup Using Carrier Embedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of electronic files created by advanced computing and communication technologies poses a challenge for efficient, cost-effective, and secure storage solutions, as existing methods lack robustness and privacy in data backup.
Innovation Solution
The use of steganography to store or backup electronic files by embedding them within existing files on electronic devices, leveraging techniques like LSB and F5 algorithms, and implementing redundancy through RAID techniques to ensure secure and imperceptible data storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional electronic storage methods are used, then storage capacity is sufficient, but security and privacy protection are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds backup data within the least significant bits of carrier files (images, audio, video), creating a nested structure where backup data is hidden inside existing files. This nesting approach enhances security without requiring separate storage infrastructure, thus improving reliability while avoiding increased system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses carrier files as intermediaries to store backup data. Instead of directly storing sensitive data, the system embeds it within innocent-looking carrier files that serve as mediators, making unauthorized access difficult while maintaining a simple storage architecture.
2Reliability
If more storage space is allocated for backups, then data redundancy is improved, but storage cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing carrier files serve dual purposes: their primary function (images, audio, video) and a secondary function of storing backup data. This multi-functionality allows the same storage space to provide both media storage and backup redundancy, improving reliability without increasing storage quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data capacity within existing files by utilizing the least significant bits of carrier files. This parameter change allows additional storage capacity to be extracted from existing files without allocating additional physical storage space.
3Reliability
If steganography is used to embed data in existing files, then security is enhanced, but data retrieval complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing file associations and embedding data during the initial backup process. The system pre-configures the relationship between backup data and carrier files, creating lookup tables and metadata structures that simplify subsequent retrieval operations, thus reducing retrieval complexity despite the steganography process.
4Quantity of substance
If existing files are used as carriers, then storage cost is reduced, but risk of carrier file modification affecting hidden data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by creating redundant copies of backup data across multiple carrier files and implementing error correction mechanisms. This preparatory protection ensures that if one carrier file is modified or corrupted, the backup data can still be recovered from other carriers, thus maintaining data integrity despite the risk of carrier modification.
Data Source
AI summary
Steganography is leveraged to store additional data in the existing data on any given electronic storage. For example, a first request to store a first electronic file is received. Based on the first request, a determination is made as to whether one or more second electronic files meet one or more predefined criteria for being a carrier file for steganography. If the one or more second electronic files meet the one or more predefined criterion for being a carrier file, the first electronic file is electronically stored into the one or more second electronic files using steganography.