Implementation of Format-Based Steganography Method for Secret Message Insertion in Text Media

Abstract

Information security is a very important aspect in digital-based data exchange, especially to protect confidential messages from unauthorized access. In addition to cryptography techniques, steganography is another approach that aims to hide the existence of the message itself so as not to arouse suspicion. This study aims to implement and analyze format-based steganography methods in text media as a means of inserting confidential messages. The format-based method works by utilizing changes in text format, such as the use of spaces, variations in letter writing, or certain characters, without changing the meaning or readability of the original text. The research stages include the process of embedding confidential messages into the host text and the extraction process to retrieve the hidden messages. The implementation results show that secret messages can be inserted and extracted well without causing noticeable visual changes to the text, making the existence of the message difficult to detect with the naked eye. Based on these results, it can be concluded that format-based steganography in text media is a simple but effective method for maintaining the confidentiality of information in text-based communication, especially in environments where the use of multimedia media such as images or videos is not possible.