MerloStegaSecure is a graphical steganography tool that allows users to securely hide and extract encrypted text inside image files. It combines AES-256 encryption with LSB steganography for a double layer of data protection, all within a stylish and simple Tkinter GUI.
- 📷 Hide text messages inside PNG, BMP, JPG, JPEG, and WEBP images
- 🛡️ Encrypts hidden text using AES-256 (EAX mode) for strong confidentiality
- 🔐 Password-protected text embedding and extraction
- 💾 Save new stego-images to desired location
- 🖥️ Intuitive and elegant GUI made with Tkinter
- 🧪 Displays error messages for incorrect decryption or missing inputs
- ⚡ "Powered by Roy Merlo" branding included
Install required packages using pip:
pip install stegano pycryptodome
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/status-attivo-green" />
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/made%20with-Python-blue" />
🚀 How to Run
bash
Copy
Edit
python stegamerlo.py
🧰 How It Works
🔐 Hiding Text
Click "Carica Immagine" to load a cover image.
Enter the text to hide.
Enter a password.
Click "🔐 Nascondi Testo" and choose a location to save the new image.
The text is encrypted using AES-256 and embedded inside the image using LSB steganography.
🔓 Revealing Text
Load the image containing hidden text using "Carica Immagine".
Enter the same password used for hiding.
Click "🔓 Estrai Testo".
If the password is correct, the original text is decrypted and displayed.
📂 File Types Supported
Input image formats: .png, .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, .webp
Output image format: .png (recommended for minimal compression)
⚠️ Security Notes
AES encryption uses a hardcoded salt (stega_merlo) for key derivation.
For production-grade applications, make salt dynamic and securely stored.
The system uses EAX mode for both confidentiality and integrity.
✨ Credits
GUI and logic by Roy Merlo
Steganography via stegano library
Cryptography via pycryptodome
📃 License
This project is open-source and free to use for educational or personal projects.