ThermoSteg-Covert Channel for Microbolometer Thermographic Cameras.

Krzysztof Sawicki,Tomasz Sosnowski,Grzegorz Bieszczad

doi:10.3390/s21196395

Krzysztof Sawicki, Tomasz Sosnowski + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/s21196395

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Abstract

The article presents a new concept—steganography in thermography. Steganography is a technique of hiding information in a non-obvious way and belongs to sciences related to information security. The proposed method, called ThermoSteg, uses a modification of one of the parameters of the thermal imaging camera—integration time—to embed the signal containing hidden information. Integration time changing makes the microbolometer array heat up while reading the sensors. The covert information can be extracted from the stream of thermograms recorded by another thermal camera that observes the first one. The covert channel created with the ThermoSteg method allows the transmission of covert data using a thermal sensor as a wireless data transmitter. This article describes a physical phenomenon that is exploited by the ThermoSteg method and two proposed methods of covert data extraction, and presents the results of experiments.

Highlights

This paper proposes a new type of covert channel that utilizes thermal cameras and their sensors to make steganographic communication possible
Two thermal imaging cameras based on FPGA Cyclone V and Lynred Micro80 matrices
The proposed method can be used to create a communication channel between thermal imaging cameras transmitting, for example, encryption keys, performing camera authentication or the detection of unauthorized devices to prevent counterfeits or to eliminate rogue devices. This method can be used to create a diagnostic interface with the thermal cameras that are mounted in inaccessible places such as a fire control system camera in a tank, or to transmit, for example, the coordinates of the transmitting camera, thanks to which the recorded thermograms can be supplemented with the information about the parameters of the monitored area

Summary

Introduction

Information is one of the essential goods, and information security mechanisms are developing very quickly. For most of the usage scenarios, the best way to secure data is to use cryptography. In some specific cases, another method can be used—. Steganography [1,2,3,4]. Steganography is a technique that enables data transmission in a hidden way. The critical factor is to make the data ‘covert’, so that no one would be able to receive the information. This approach differs from cryptography’s approach, where the data can be received by virtually anyone, but cannot be decrypted by anyone except the authorised recipient

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