Conclusion

This project was a success overall. A simple but effective steganography algorithm was designed and implemented using P2 PGM files. The algorithm was able to hide the data without changing the file size at all, and without changing the image's appearance significantly. As is, the project can be useful for some; the PGM files can be converted to PNG and converted back without losing the hidden data. Although the project is simple, the command-line nature of the program and the fact that it has only been tested in Linux make it unready for the mass market, especially compared to more venerable products like JPHIDE.

The future of this project is uncertain, but there are several areas for expansion. First is the possibility of expansion into different file types, such as PNG or even JPEG. These would both take significant amounts of time to program, and it may not be possible to devote much effort to expanding the program's capabilities. The second possibility is the creation and use of a better algorithm. This option would be less time-consuming, because most of the program's structure could remain unchanged. The third option is development into a graphical user interface. This is the least likely to happen, due to the sharp learning curve and very time-consuming nature of such an undertaking, for only a small increase in usefulness.