When comparing File Camouflage vs TextSecure, the Slant community recommends File Camouflage for most people. In the question“What are the best ways to transmit sensitive information over the Internet?” File Camouflage is ranked 8th while TextSecure is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose File Camouflage is:
File Camouflage allows you to encrypt your sensitive information and then after hide it in the JPEG image of your choice. With this program an innocent family photo or photo of your pet can be used to disguise your most sensitive encrypted information.
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Pros
Pro Hides file in JPEG image
File Camouflage allows you to encrypt your sensitive information and then after hide it in the JPEG image of your choice. With this program an innocent family photo or photo of your pet can be used to disguise your most sensitive encrypted information.
Pro Effective second level of protection
File Camouflage is an effective second level of protection. After encrypting and password protecting your sensitive information with AES, File Camouflage makes sure only your intended recipient knows there is even a file to decrypt by hiding it in a JPEG.
Pro Easy to use
Hiding your sensitive information with File Camouflage is extremely easy. The whole process is explained very well even for an inexperienced user.
Pro Free
Pro Ability to send an EXE file via email
Many email providers are not able to send EXE files but File Camouflage not only protects it but allows the file to be sent.
Pro Strong encryption
Uses Curve25519, AES-256, and HMAC-SHA256. The security of these algorithms has been tested over many years of use in hundreds of different applications. Messages sent via TextSecure are end-to-end encrypted, which means that they can only be read by your intended recipients. We make it easy for you to verify that you are communicating with the right people and that no MITM attack has occurred. The keys that are used to encrypt your messages are stored on your device alone, and they are protected by an additional layer of encryption if you have a passphrase enabled.
Pro Free and open source
TextSecure is free and open source, enabling anyone to verify its security by auditing the code. TextSecure is the only private messenger that uses open source peer-reviewed cryptographic protocols to keep your messages safe.
Pro Passed EFF's security review
To pass EFF's security review TextSecure had to encrypt data in transit, the encryption had to be end-to-end, the app needed to provide forward secrecy, app's source code has to be open to independent review, users have to be able to verify contact's identities even with the service provider compromised, app's cryptographic design has to be well documented and app's source code has to have been audited in the last 12 months.
Cons
Con Encourages improper use of steganography
To hide a file in an image you need two things:
One, that the attacker cannot find the source image i.e. it has to be an image made by the user (preferably a photograph of a visually complex scene) and never put on the internet (using the pac_tron image would render the use of steganography moot, as the attacker can merely subtract a suspect image from a copy of the source image) and
two, that the file to be hidden is smaller than the cover image. With the best techniques today you can embed a file about 10% of the size of the cover image. The example in the doc hides a file 21,500% of the size of the cover image.
If you use steganography improperly you get no security, esp. as governments believe senior terrorists use steganography and thus search for it very, very, carefully.
Con Frequently prompts you to donate
File Camouflage is free although the developer does proclaim it "donationware." As a result the program frequently and annoyingly begs that you donate.
Con Requires both sender and recipient to use File Camouflage
In order for the recipient to receive the intended information they have to download and use File Camouflage.
Con No data messaging
TextSecure can send SMS and MMS messages only. It can't send data messages.
Con Not available on tablets
TextSecure is currently not compatible with tablets. Support for tablets is promised in the future.
