traceable history

[chris]

If I were to download a jpeg image off of the internet to my hard drive, at home, transfer the image to a floppy, then install it to my computers hard drive at work, Could someone trace the history of the image? Is there a ID, or something in the code that would identify me, or my machine? How hard is this info to access? Let us assume, for the sake of this question, that the person attempting to gain access has extreamly sharp computer knowledge. This is only a speculative question, for satisfying self curiosity.

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chris

[YODA74]

Hmm,I think I know what your saying? if it is a .jpg image aparently it has a host all some one has to do in that is click on the image and click properties, and that will show who is Hosting the image? or who created the img.Now if this is a copywrighted image you can use it for your own personal view, But I would advise not trying to use it for commercial perposes (saying you created this image) and finding out later on that it is a copywrighted image? is this what you are asking??

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YODA74@windows-sucks.com

CCMR (http://www.dreamwater.net/tech/yoda74/index.html)

[kayofcircles]

There might be a way, but one would have to be pretty savvy..like say Ghost or iisbob. At least, I think that because when I go and fetch a jpg off the Net and save it to my hard drive..under Properties it will read whatever I have named it as I saved it, and show it as being created when I saved it. So think one would have to able to go into some kind of thing I don't know to do to "trace" it any further.

After musing over it for a few minutes, I don't think one can trace a file like that. Because if you copy a file from one part of your puter to another..the file size stays the same and only the location has changed in the Properties box. If a string of former addresses were being copied with the file, seems to me that the file size would increase. But we need one of our "was a hacker in a former lifetime" ones to check in on this.

chris: Don't mean to sound judgmental, but if you're concerned about the file being traced back to you, maybe you ought to reconsider doing it in the first place. I don't snag anything off the Net that isn't fair game in the sense that, although copyrighted, it specifically says I can have it as long as I don't use it for commercial purposes. Trust me, sometimes that's real hard...there's a website with AWESOME space pics that are copyrighted and NOT free for personal use that really strain my ethics.

[Rick]

If your Computer at work is on a network and you copy or move that file onto a network drive
The network administrator can trace the file back to your work station.
The one you used to copy or move the file onto the server.

This also depends on the security and file control settings in effect at the time.

Also
If the person who created it has added additional info it can be traced back to the creator.
The file format allows for this info to be added.. Depending on the software used.
Caption, Keyword, Categories, ,Credits, ,Origin, Copyright, and Url


Unless you modify the file on your Home system it will not show as ever being there.

[pentachris]

I think you're referring to steganography - hiding something in plain sight. The classic example is the Greek slave with a message written on his shaved head. The hair grows out to cover it in a few weeks, and he journeys to the home of the recipient where his head is shaved to reveal the message. Then, having served his purpose, his head is removed.

In the computer world, it's also called "digital watermarking."

Check this (http://members.tripod.com/steganography/stego/software.html) out for starters.

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