Off-network messenger
Taftan
ENFA
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Steganographic

Hidden in a photo

The message is concealed inside an ordinary photograph and sent through any platform.

seed:apple lakeHIDDEN MESSAGEAddress arrives at 21:00. Bring the key.

Taftan encrypts the message and hides it inside an ordinary photograph. The photo looks completely normal. It can be sent through any messaging app or posted to a social media profile. On the other end, Taftan opens the same photo, asks for the shared password and extracts the message. The messaging app, the platform and anyone observing see only the photograph.

Methods
S

Silent

Hides the message using a lossless method that does not alter the photo at all. Use this when the platform sends photos without any modification (Signal, Telegram file mode, email). Maximum capacity: approximately 500 characters.

+ Larger capacity- Some platforms recompress the photo and destroy the embedded message
R

Robust

Hides the message using a method that survives JPEG recompression down to quality settings around 70 per cent. Designed for WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram's default photo mode. Capacity: approximately 500 characters depending on image dimensions.

+ Survives social-media recompression- Reduced capacity per photograph
Strong points
  • Compatible with any app or service that allows image attachments.
  • Two modes: Silent for platforms that send photos without modification (Signal, Telegram file mode, email), and Robust for platforms that recompress images (WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram default photo mode).
  • The photo looks identical to the original. No visible indicators.
Trade-offs
  • Both people need Taftan installed and must share the same password.
  • Maximum capacity depends on the dimensions of the cover photo. Larger images accommodate more text.
Get started

Two devices. One shared password. No intermediary.

Install Taftan on both devices, agree on the password through a separate channel beforehand, and run a quick test transfer using whichever channel fits your situation.

Download the applicationRead the documentation