Project 1: LSB Image Steganography is a command-line application designed to conceal secret information within digital images using the Least Significant Bit (LSB) steganography technique. Steganography, an ancient practice, involves hiding sensitive data within seemingly innocuous carriers, such as images, without arousing suspicion. Unlike cryptography, which encrypts data for secure communication, steganography aims for covert communication by ensuring that the presence of hidden information remains undetectable.

The application allows users to embed a message from a text file into a bitmap (.bmp) image file. Before embedding the message, the program checks the size compatibility of the message file with the available space in the image's data section to ensure a seamless concealment process. Additionally, users have the option to include a magic string during embedding, which serves as an identifier for detecting whether an image has been steganographically altered.

Key Features:

1. Accepts input of a .bmp image file and a text file containing the message to be concealed.
2. Verifies the suitability of the message size relative to the available space in the image's data section.
3. Offers an option to include a magic string for identification of steganographically altered images.
4. Provides functionality to decrypt the hidden message from the steganographically altered image.

Prerequisites:

1. Basic understanding of encryption and decryption techniques.
2. Familiarity with file input/output operations.
3. Proficiency in handling pointers and structures in C programming language.

Design:

The application follows a modular design, with functions dedicated to each aspect of the steganography process, such as embedding and extracting messages, validating file sizes, and managing command-line arguments.

Sample Outputs:

The program provides clear feedback on the success or failure of each operation, including message embedding, decryption, and validation of image integrity.

References:

1. Wikipedia: Steganography (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steganography)
2. Wikipedia: BMP File Format (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMP)