Cryptography and Steganography For Secure Communication

Cryptography and Steganography For Secure Communication Combination of Cryptography and Steganography for secure communication is a tool that combines both Cryptography methods and Steganography techniques for secure communication. The application is a cross-platform tool that can be effectively hide a message inside a digital video file. In the field of data communication, security has the top priority. Cryptography is one of the technique for secure plain text messages. Cryptography makes the necessary elements for secure communication namely privacy, confidentiality, key exchange and authentication but reveals the fact that communication is happening. Steganography takes cryptography a step farther by hiding the existence of the information. Steganography plays a vital role in the data communication field in the future primarily in computer security and privacy on open systems such as internet. The figure below[1], gives different applications of Steganography. Protection against detection (Data hiding) and protection against removal (Document Marking) are two major areas Steganographic methods are used. Steganographic Data hiding algorithms allows user to hide large amounts of information within digital files like Image, audio and video files. These forms of Steganography often used in conjunction with cryptography adding layers of security. The Other major area of Steganography is document marking where the message to be inserted is used to assert copyright over a document. This can be further divided into watermarking and fingerprinting. Copyright abuse is the motivating factor in developing new document marking technologies like digital watermarking and digital fingerprinting. Digital Watermarking is a way to hide a secret or personal message to protect a products copyright or to demonstrate data integrity. Digital Fingerprinting  is an emerging technology to protect multimedia from unauthorized redistribution. It embeds a unique ID into each users copy, which can be extracted to help identify culprits when an unauthorized leak is found [2]. Neither Cryptography nor Steganography is a turnkey solution to privacy of open systems. To add multiple layers of security it is always a good practice to use both Cryptography and Steganography together. While performing Cryptography we should know two formulas ( Cipher formula, Decipher formula). Rationale: To make the communication more secure in this application we are implementing three layers of security like Steganography, Cryptography and Compression. The application first compresses the word document with secret message, and then encrypts the compressed file and uses the resulted file as the secret message to hide in the digital video file generating a Stego-object. The intended receiver de-embeds decrypts and decompresses the Stego-object respectively to get the hidden message. This paper also attempts to identify the requirements of a good Steganographic algorithm and briefly reflects on different types of steganalysis techniques.The application uses Tiny encryption algorithm and Discrete Cosine Transformation-Least significant bit algorithm for implementing Cryptography and Steganography respectively. The outcome of this project is to create a cross-platform tool that can effectively hide a message (i.e. Word document) inside a digital video file. It is concerned with embeddin g information in a secure and robust manner. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE Background to subject of study: The idea of building this tool is to make the communication is such a way that no one can detect the message inside the stego-object. Earlier we have tools for different tools for Steganography and Cryptography. In this tool we are implementing three layers of security (Steganography, Cryptography and Compression) so that the communication can be more secure and all can be done in a single tool instead of using three different tools. Steganography has came into usage in 1990s and it is still using in many ways by Governments, Private citizens, Business and Terrorist organizations for communication to share information and passwords. Cryptography came into consideration in 18th century. The goal of cryptography is to make it possible for two communication entities to exchange a message in such a way that no third party can understand the message. Cryptography has been implementing from many days, in the World war Germany and USA. They have used it in sharing messages and implemented machines to implement cryptography. Examples and critique of current research in the field: There are many tools that are implementing Steganography now a days. The SARC (Steganography Analysis and Research Center has implemented three tools in steganography like Steganography Analyzer Artifact Scanner, Steganography Analyzer Signature Scanner and Steganography Analyzer Real-Time Scanner. The Steganography Analyzer Artifact Scanner detect files and registry entries associated with steganography applications where as Steganography Analyzer Signature Scanner detect files containing steganography and extract the hidden information and the Steganography Analyzer Real-Time Scanner detect steganography artifacts and signatures in real-time over a network. S-Tool is also one of the steganography tool that is using now a days. Its free to download and hides the data in an image or sound file. It compresses the data before encrypting and hides it in a image file or audio file. PILOT RESEARCH STUDY Hypothesis: As sending the message will be easy for unauthorized persons to detect the information in the situations like passwords sharing and confidential information sharing. So for that we have methods that can make the information secure. By using Steganography and Cryptography techniques we can share the information more securely by hiding the information in other files. Even though we have some risks that are involved in these techniques we can be rectified to certain extend by using this tool. Research method: This application is implemented for secure transmission of data. In this application we have three layers of security like compression, Cryptography and Steganography. We are using different type of algorithms in Cryptography and Steganography so that the hackers cannot identify which algorithm is supposed to be used. In secret key Cryptography several algorithms are in operation like Data Encryption Standard (DES), Rivest Chipers (aka Rons Code), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Blowfish and CAST-128/256. In public key Cryptography we have Elliptic Curve Cryptography(ECC), ElGamal, Digital signature Algorithm (DSA), Diffie-Hellman and RSA algorithms mostly isong now a days. In hash function in Cryptography Hash of variable length(HAVAL), Tiger, RIPEMD, Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) and Message Digest Algorith(MD) are in use. Tiny Encryption Algorithm is also one of the Feistel Cipher encryption algorithm that was designed in 1994 is used in Cryptography that uses mixed orthogonal algebraic groups like ADD, SHIFT and XOR. In steganography we are using different Steganographic methods for hiding information into a video file like LSB (Discrete Cosine Transformation-List Significant Bit Encoding). Each frame in a video file holds a piece of secret message. Cryptography use cipher algorithm for encryption and decryption of data. In the previous decades they were used ciphers like Scytale Transportation Cipher, Caesar Substitution Chiper, Zodiac Chiper and Vigenere Polyalphabetic Substitution. Both Steganography and Cryptography are data security techniques, but the cryptography is implemented to data unread and Steganography in for data unseen. Steganography can use Cryptography where as Cryptography cannot use Steganography. Steganography implemented to Cryptographic data will increase in security level. Initial Results: In this application i am implementing three layers of security to make the information more secure. There are no any tools that implementing all the three layers like compression, Cryptography and Steganograpy. We have tools for steganography like S-Tool and for Cryptography. By using one tool instead of using three tools will save time and money with more security. This is the basic advantage of this application. The help document will guide in Interface. OUT LINE OF PROPOSAL Aims of the Investigation: The aim of this paper is to describe a method for integrating together cryptography and Steganography for secure communication using a Video file. The proposed system first compresses the secret message (i.e. word document) and then implements cryptographic algorithms to the compressed message. The resulted file is used as the secret message to be hidden in the digital video file. Once the video file is embedded with the secret message, it is sent to the intended receiver. The video file should be de-embedded, decrypted and decompressed to get the original secret message hence, adding three layers of security to the communication. I am going to design a good Graphical User Interface (GUI) with help notes so that anyone can understand ahout the application easily. Research Objectives: The objective of this project is to hide secret messages (e.g. Text Phrase, word document) inside other harmless messages such as Image and Video file, in a way that does not allow any third party to even detect that there is a second secret message present in it. The application implements this by combining the Steganographic methods with Cryptographic techniques (i.e. Encryption, decryption) to make the transfer more secure. It is concerned with embedding information in a secure and robust manner. The Text file will be compressed and after that the compressed file will go on with a Cryptography and Steganography. Methodologies: Modules of the Application: The application has two modes of operation i.e. Sender and Receiver. The three major modules for Sender mode of application are Compression: The application first compresses the document to be transferred Encryption: An Encryption algorithm encrypts the compressed file and the resulted file is used as secret message. Embedding: The encrypted file is hidden in the Harmless Message (video file) using corresponding Steganographic algorithm, which generates a Stego Object, which is sent to the intended recipient. The three major modules for the Receiver mode of application are De-Embedding: The Stego Object is de-embedded generating an encrypted file. Decryption: The encrypted file is decrypted using an the Encryption algorithm, and the resulted file is given to the compression module De-Compression: The application then de-compresses the document and we have the Secret message. Steganography and cryptography are closely related. Cryptography scrambles messages so they cannot be understood Whereas, Steganography will hide the message so there is no knowledge of the existence of the message [7]. Sending an encrypted message will arouse suspicion while an invisible message will not do so. The application developed in this project combines both sciences to produce better protection of the message. Even if the Steganography fails since the message is in encrypted form it is of no use for the third party, hence the information is secure. In Cryptography we have used three types of methodologies and are implemented depending on the encryption Algorithm.They are Secret key Cryptography, Public key Cryptography and hash function. These 3 methods are briefly explained below. Secret Key Cryptography: Secret key Cryptography, also known as symmetric encryption uses same key for encryption and decryption. The sender uses key to encrypt the text and sends ciphertext to the receiver. The receiver applies the same key to decrypt the message and recover the Text. K K Text Ciphertext Text E( ) D( ) K-key, E-Encryption, D-Decryption Secret key Cryptography The above figure shows the process of secret key cryptography. The biggest difficulty with this approach is the distribution of the key. Block ciphers can operate in one of the several modes. Electronic Codebook (ECB), Cipher Block Chaining (CBC), Cipher Feedback (CFB), Output Feedback (OFB) are the most important modes. Data Encryption Standard (DES), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), CAST-128/256, Rivest Ciphers (aka Rons Code), Blowfish are some of the Secret key cryptography algorithms [3]. Public-Key Cryptography: K1 K2 Text Ciphertext Text E( ) D( ) K-key, E-Encryption, D-Decryption Public key Cryptography Public key cryptography is a two-key cryptography system in which two keys are used in encryption and decryption for secure communication without having to share a secret key. One key is used to encrypt the text, designated the public key which can be advertised. The other key is used to decrypt the ciphertext to plaintext and is designated the private key which is never revealed to another party. This approach also called as asymmetric cryptography, because we use a pair of keys. The figure shows the process of the public cryptographic algorithms. Public key cryptography depends upon the one-way functions, which are easy to compute whereas their inverse function is relatively difficult to compute. RSA, Diffie-Hellman, Digital signature Algorithm (DSA), ElGamal, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC, are the examples of Public-key cryptography algorithms [3]. Hash Functions: Hash functions, are also called as message digests and one-way encryption. Hash function algorithms do not use a key to carry out the encryption and decryption process. Instead, the algorithm computes a fixed length hash value based upon the text that keeps both the contents and the length of the message secure. Tiny Encryption Algorithm is a Feistel cipher encryption algorithm that uses operations from mixed orthogonal algebraic groups like XOR, ADD and SHIFT. David Wheeler and Roger Needham of the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory designed TEA in the year 1994. A Feistel cipher is a block cipher with a structure known as a Feistel network. In a Feistel cipher, the data been encrypted is split into two halves. The function F( ) is applied to one half using a sub key and the output of F() is XORed with the other half and the two halves are swapped. Each round function follows the same pattern except for last round. A nice feature of a Feistel cipher is that encryption and decryption are identical i.e. the sub keys used during encryption at each round are taken in reverse order while decryption [4]. The main goal of TEA is to minimize memory footprint and maximize speed. TEA is simple to implement, has less execution time, and takes minimal storage space. TEA uses a large number of iterations rather than a complicated program. Notation: Any number subscripted with h represents a Hexadecimal number e.g: 10h represents 16 in decimal values. Notations for Bitwise Shifts and Rotations: x x >> y: denotes logical right shift of x by y bits. x x >>> y: denotes right rotation of x by y bits. XOR: In computer science, an XOR is a mathematical operation that combines two bits. It returns value is TRUE if either of the two bits is TRUE, but false if both are equal. For our cryptography algorithm, we do an XOR combining two strings of bits. Say x and y are two string patterns then XOR for x and y is denoted by xà ¢Ã…  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢y [4]. Integer Addition and Subtraction: The operation of integer addition modulo 2n is denoted by and subtraction modulo 2n is denoted by. Where x, y à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã‹â€  Z2n (The value of n should be clear from the context) The key is set at 128 bits and the key schedule algorithm splits the 128-bit key K into four 32-bit blocks K = ( K[0], K[1], K[2], K[3]). The 128-bit key is enough to prevent simple search techniques being effective [4]. Encryption Routine: The Encrypt Routine given in figure [4], is written in the C language and assumes a 32-bit word size. The 128 bit key is split into four parts and is stored in K[0] k[3] and the Data is stored in v[0] and v[1]. void code(long* v, long* k) { unsigned long y=v[0],z=v[1], sum=0, /* set up */ delta=0x9e3779b9, /* a key schedule constant */ n=32 ; while (n>0) { /* basic cycle start */ sum += delta ; y += ((z>5)+k[1]) ; z += ((y>5)+k[3]) ; } /* end cycle */ v[0]=y ; v[1]=z ; } Encryption Routine for TEA The constant delta is given as delta = (à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡5 -1) * 231 i.e. 9E3779B9h and is derived from the golden number ratio to ensure that the sub keys are distinct and its precise value has no cryptographic significance. TEA uses addition and subtraction as the reversible operators instead of XOR. The TEA encryption routine relies on the alternate use of XOR and ADD to provide nonlinearity. The algorithm has 32 cycles (64 rounds). TEA is short enough to write into almost any program on any computer. TEA on one implementation is three times as fast as a good software implementation of DES, which has 16 rounds. The figure shown below [4], gives an overview of two rounds i.e. one cycle of TEA. Key size: 128 bit key is split into four subkeys K = { K[0],K[1],K[2],K[3] } Block size: 64 bits Structure: Feistel Network Rounds: Variable (64 Feistel rounds (32 cycles) is recommended). . Represents Integer addition modulo Represents XOR Represents logical left shift by 4 bits Represents logical right shift by 5 bits Two Feistel Rounds (one cycle) of TEA Inputs for the Encryption routine: Plaintext P, Key K The plaintext is split into two halves as P= (Left[0],Right[0]) Output for the Encryption routine: The cipher text is C Where C=(Left[64], Right[64]). The plaintext block is split into two halves, Left[0] and Right[0] and each half is used to encrypt the other half over 64 rounds of processing then combined to produce the cipher text block. Each round i has inputs Left[i-1] and Right[i-1], derived from the previous round, as well as a sub key K[i] derived from the 128 bit overall K. The Output and the delta constant of the ith cycle of TEA are given as Left [i+1] = Left[i] F ( Right[i], K [0, 1], delta[i] ), Right [i +1] = Right[i] F ( Right[i +1], K [2, 3], delta[i] ), delta[i] = (i +1)/2 * delta, The sub keys K[i] are different from K and from each other. The Round function F contains the key addition, bitwise XOR and both left and right shift operations, and given as F(M, K[j,k], delta[i] ) = ((M > 5) K[k]) F Round function and K[i] key for the ith round Encryption Process for TEA The keys K[0] and K[1] are used in the odd rounds and the keys K[2] and K[3] are used in even rounds. The round function of TEA encryption algorithm differs slightly from a classical Feistel cipher structure where integer addition modulo-2 ³Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ² is used instead of XOR as the combining operator. The above figure[4] gives an overview of the encryption process for TEA. Decryption Routine: void decode(long* v, long* k) { unsigned long n = 32, sum, y = v[0], z = v[1], delta = 0x9e3779b9 ; sum = delta /* start cycle */ while (n>0) { z = (y>5)+k[3] ; y -= (z>5)+k[1] ; sum -= delta ; } /* end cycle */ v[0] = y ; v[1] = z ; } Decryption Routine for TEA The decryption routine shown in the figure[4], is same as the encryption routine with the cipher text as input and the sub keys K[i] are used in the reverse order. Inputs for the Decryption routine: Cipher text C, Key K The cipher text is split into two halves as C= (DLeft[0],DRight[0]) Where Dleft[0]=ERight[64] and DRight[0]=Eleft[64] Output for the Decryption routine: The plain text is P, Where C=(DLeft[64], DRight[64]). F Round function and K[i] key for the ith round. Decryption Process for TEA The figure [4] gives the structure of the decryption algorithm for TEA. The intermediate value for the decryption process equals the corresponding value of the encryption process with the two halves of the value swapped. For example say the output of the nth round of the encryption process is ELeft[i] concatenated with ERight[i] then the input to the (64-i)th decryption round is DRight[i] concatenated with DLeft[i]. DCT-LSB (Discrete Cosine Transformation-List Significant Bit Encoding): DCT-LSB is a Steganographic method is a substitution algorithm used for hiding information behind Video files. Each frame in the video holds a part of the secret message. Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) transforms successive 8 ÃÆ'- 8 pixel blocks of the frame into 64 DCT coefficients each. The DCT coefficients D(i, j) of an 8 ÃÆ'- 8 block of image pixels p(x, y) are given by the formula below Least Significant Bit (LSB) is a simple Steganographic method that takes the individual pixels of the frame and replaces the least significant bits with the secret message bits. It is by far the most popular of the coding techniques used. The process of LSB algorithm is shown in the figure below. Embed Extract LSB Process We can commandeer the least significant bit of 8-bit true color image to hold each bit of our secret message by simply overwriting the data that was already there. The impact of changing the least significant bit is almost imperceptible. Input: message, cover image Output: steganographic object containing message while data left to embed do get next DCT coefficient from cover file if DCT à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 and DCT à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   1 then get next bit from the Secret message replace DCT LSB with message bit end if insert DCT into steganographic object end while Embedding Process of DCT-LSB Input: steganographic object containing message Output: message, cover image while data left to extract do get next DCT coefficient from Stego object if DCT à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   0 and DCT à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   1 then Extract the DCT LSB bit from the object Copy to message file end if end while Extracting Process of DCT-LSB The above figures[5] gives algorithms for embedding and extracting secret information in video files using DCT-LSB algorithm respectively. DEFLATE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM DEFLATE is a no loss compressed data format that compresses data using a combination of the LZ77 algorithm and Huffman coding. Independent of CPU type, operating system, file system, and character set Compatible with widely used gzip utility Worst case 5bytes per 32Kbyte block[6]. Ethical Considerations: There are two possible ways of attacks on Steganography (Detection and Destruction) of embedded message. The properties of the file in which we are hiding information will differ when hiding message into it. The Steganalysis will find it and analyse the stego object. Steganalysis is the technique used to detect hidden messages in digital data like video or audio file steganographically[7]. Steganalysis is used to disrupt the steganographic elements to transfer by extracting, disabling or disrupting. Detection: Most Steganographic techniques involve in changing the properties of original harmless messages like Image and Video files and the detection algorithms concentrate on detecting these changes [8]. Detecting the existence of a hidden message will save time in the message elimination phase by processing only those digital files that contains hidden information. Detecting an embedded message defeats the primary goal of Steganography techniques that is concealing the very existence of a message [8]. The algorithms vary in their approaches for hiding information. Without knowing which algorithm is used and which Stego-key is used, detecting the hidden information is quite complex. Destruction or Defeating algorithms concentrate on removing the hidden messages from the Stego object [8]. Steganalysis techniques are similar to the cryptanalysis for the cryptography methods. As we have discussed previously. Harmless Message + secret message + stego-key = stega-object Some of the known attacks for the Steganography are stego-only, known cover, known message, chosen stego, and chosen message. In Cryptography there are many types of Cryptographic attacks. The attacks are done on the Cipher text. There are some of the ways to attack cipher text like Brute force attacks, Meet in the middle attack, Birthday attack and side channel attack[9]. Plan Time Table: Activity Nov 09 Dec09 Dec09 Dec09 Jan 09 Jan 09 Jan 09 Jan 09 Feb 09 Selection of topic XX analyzing XX Research XX Literature review XX introduction XX Rationale XX methodologies XX Initial results XX conclusion XX After the approval of the research proposal the project will be started. The dissertation will be preceded according to the steps that are given by the supervisor. Limitations and Scope: Steganography is an effective way to obscure data and hide sensitive information. The effectiveness of Steganography is amplified by combining it with cryptography. By using the properties of the DCT-LSB Steganography algorithm for video file and combining it with the TEA cryptography standards, we developed a method, which adds layers of security to the communication. Steganographic methods do not intended to replace cryptography but supplement it. The strength of our system resides in adding multiple layers of security. First the secret message i.e. word document to be transferred is compressed, encrypted and then embedded in a video file using Steganographic algorithm hence, adding three layers of security. The weakness of the system developed is the size of the secret file i.e. word document after compression should be less than the size of the Cover object i.e. Video file. Since we are using compression algorithm this happens only for huge documents. As future work, we intend to study more steganalytic techniques i.e. detecting whether a particular file contains any form of embedding or not. We also plan to extend our system so that it can hide digital files in other digital files, for example hiding Audio files in Videos files etc. Personal Development and Requirement: Regarding this research a brief knowledge on steganography and cryptography and the methods that are used in embedding and de-embedding file. We should also have a brief idea on encryption and decryption algorithms in cryptography. In this application we can also encrypt strings and document files. Resource reruirements: This Application will work on any Microsoft Operating systems and the hard disk should have atleast of 4 MB memory. The RAM should be 256 Mega Bytes or higher.

Bloodlines Chapter Ten

MY PHONE RANG JUST THEN, saving me from the awkwardness of figuring out what to do about Jill. I answered without bothering to check the caller ID. â€Å"Miss Melbourne? Your services are needed immediately.† â€Å"Ma'am?† I asked in surprise. Ms. Terwilliger's frantic voice was not what I'd been expecting. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"I need you to get me a caramel sauce cappuccino from Spencer's. There is absolutely no way I can finish translating this document if you don't.† There were a million responses I could make to that, none of which were very polite, so I went with the obvious point of logic. â€Å"I don't think I can,† I said. â€Å"You have off-campus privileges, don't you?† â€Å"Well, yes, ma'am, but it's almost campus curfew. I don't know where Spencer's is, but I don't think I can make it back in time.† â€Å"Nonsense. Who's running your dorm? That Weathers woman? I'll call down and get you an exception. I'm working in one of the library offices. Meet me there.† Despite my personal devotion to coffee, getting an â€Å"exception† to the school's curfew seemed kind of excessive for an errand like this. I didn't like to bend the rules. On the other hand, I was Ms. Terwilliger's assistant. Wasn't this part of my job description? All the old Alchemist instincts to follow orders kicked in. â€Å"Well, yes, ma'am, I suppose I – â€Å" She disconnected, and I stared at the phone in astonishment. â€Å"I have to go,† I told Jill. â€Å"Hopefully I'll be back soon. Maybe very soon since I'll be surprised if she remembers to call Mrs. Weathers.† She didn't look up. With a shrug, I packed my laptop and some homework, just in case Ms. Terwilliger thought of something else for me to do. With coffee on the line, my teacher's memory was good, and I found I did indeed have clearance to leave when I went downstairs. Mrs. Weathers even gave me directions to Spencer's, a coffee shop that was a few miles away. I got the cappuccino, wondering if I'd be reimbursed, and picked up something for myself as well. The library staff at Amberwood gave me a hard time about carrying in beverages when I returned, but when I explained my errand, they waved me on through to the back offices. Apparently, Ms. Terwilliger's addiction was well known. The library was surprisingly busy, and I quickly deduced why. After a certain point each night, guys and girls were banned from each other's dorms. The library was open later, so this was the place to go to hang out with the opposite sex. Lots of people were just there to study too, including Julia and Kristin. â€Å"Sydney! Over here!† called Kristin in a stage whisper. â€Å"Break free of Terwilliger,† added Julia. â€Å"You can do it.† I held up the coffee as I passed them. â€Å"Are you kidding? If she doesn't get her caffeine soon, there'll be no escaping her. I'll come back if I can.† As I continued walking through, I saw a small cluster of students gathered around someone – and heard a familiar and annoying voice. Greg Slade's. Curious in spite of myself, I walked over to the edge of the crowd. Slade was showing off something on his upper arm: a tattoo. The design itself was nothing special. It was an eagle in flight, the kind of generic art all tattoo shops had in stock and copied en masse. What caught my attention was the color. It was all done in a rich, metallic silver. Metallics like that weren't easy to pull off, not with that sheen and intensity. I knew the chemicals that went into my own gold tattoo, and the formula was complex and composed of several rare ingredients. Slade made a halfhearted effort to keep his voice low – tattoos were forbidden around here, after all – but it was clear he was enjoying the attention. I observed quietly, glad others were asking some of my questions for me. Of course, those questions only left me with more questions. â€Å"That's brighter than the ones they used to do,† one of his friends noted. Slade tilted his arm so the light caught it. â€Å"Something new. They say these are better than the ones from last year. Not sure if that's true, but it wasn't cheap, I can tell you that.† The friend who'd spoken grinned. â€Å"You'll find out at tryouts.† Laurel – the red-haired girl who'd been interested in Micah – stretched out her leg beside Slade, revealing a slim ankle adorned with a faded butterfly tattoo. No metallics there. â€Å"I might get mine touched up, maybe for homecoming if I can get the money from my parents. Do you know if the celestial ones are better this year too?† She tossed back her hair as she spoke. From what I'd observed in my brief time at Amberwood, Laurel was very vain about her hair and made sure to throw it around at least every ten minutes. Slade shrugged. â€Å"Didn't ask.† Laurel noticed me watching. â€Å"Oh, hey. Aren't you vampire girl's sister?† My heart stopped. â€Å"Vampire?† â€Å"Vampire?† echoed Slade. How did she find out? What am I going to do? I had just begun making a list of the Alchemists I had to call when one of Laurel's friends snickered. Laurel looked at them and laughed haughtily, then turned back to me. â€Å"That's what we've decided to call her. No one human could possibly have skin that pale.† I nearly sagged in relief. It was a joke – one that hit painfully close to the truth, but a joke nonetheless. Still, Laurel didn't seem like someone to cross, and it'd be better for all of us if it was a joke soon forgotten. I admittedly blurted out the first distracting comment that came to mind. â€Å"Hey, stranger things have happened. When I first saw you, I didn't think anyone could have hair that long or that red. But you don't hear me talking about extensions or dye.† Slade nearly doubled over with laugher. â€Å"I knew it! I knew it was fake!† Laurel flushed nearly as red as her hair. â€Å"It is not! It's real!† â€Å"Miss Melbourne?† I jumped at the voice behind me and found Ms. Terwilliger there, watching me with bemusement. â€Å"You aren't getting credit for chatting, especially when my coffee's on the line. Come on.† I skulked away, though hardly anyone noticed. Laurel's friends were having too much fun teasing her. I hoped I had diffused the vampire jokes. Meanwhile, I couldn't get the image of Greg's tattoo out of my mind. I let my thoughts wander to the mystery of what components would be needed for that silver color. I almost had it figured out – at least, I had one possibility figured out – and wished I had access to Alchemist ingredients to do some experiments. Ms. Terwilliger took the coffee gratefully when we reached a small workroom. â€Å"Thank God,† she said, after taking a long sip. She nodded at mine. â€Å"Is that a backup one? Excellent thinking.† â€Å"No, ma'am,† I said. â€Å"It's mine. Do you want me to start in on those?† A familiar stack of books sat on the table, ones I'd seen in her classroom. They were core parts of her research, and she'd told me I'd eventually need to outline and document them for her. I reached for the top one, but she stopped me. â€Å"No,† she said, moving toward a large briefcase. She rifled through papers and assorted office supplies, finally digging out an old leather book. â€Å"Do this one instead.† I took the book. â€Å"Can I work out there?† I was hoping if I went back to the main study area, I could talk to Kristin and Julia. Ms. Terwilliger considered. â€Å"The library won't let you have the coffee. You should probably leave it in here.† I waffled, debating whether my desire to talk to Kristin and Julia outweighed the likelihood that Ms. Terwilliger would drink my coffee before I got back. I decided to take the risk and bid my coffee a painful farewell as I hauled my books and gear back out to the library. Julia eyed Ms. Terwilliger's beat-up book with disdain. â€Å"Isn't that just on the internet somewhere?† â€Å"Probably not. I'm guessing no one's even looked at this since before the internet was invented.† I opened the cover. Dust fluttered out. â€Å"Way before.† Kristin had math homework open in front of her but didn't look particularly interested in it. She tapped a pen absentmindedly against the textbook's cover. â€Å"So you saw Slade's tattoo?† â€Å"Hard not to,† I said, getting out my laptop. I glanced across the screen. â€Å"He's still showing it off.† â€Å"He's wanted one for a while but never had the money,† explained Julia. â€Å"Last year, all the big athletes had them. Well, except for Trey Juarez.† â€Å"Trey almost doesn't need one,† pointed out Kristin. â€Å"He's that good.† â€Å"He will now – if he wants to keep up with Slade,† said Julia. Kristin shook her head. â€Å"He still won't do it. He's against them. He tried reporting them to Mr. Green last year, but no one believed him.† I looked back and forth between them, more lost than ever. â€Å"Are we still talking about tattoos? About Trey ‘needing' one or not?† â€Å"You really haven't found out yet?† asked Julia. â€Å"It's my second day,† I pointed out with frustration. Remembering I was in a library, I spoke more softly. â€Å"The only people who have really talked about them are Trey and you guys – and you haven't said much of anything.† They had the grace to look embarrassed by that, at least. Kristin opened her mouth, paused, and then seemed to change what she was going to say. â€Å"You're sure yours doesn't do anything?† â€Å"Positive,† I lied. â€Å"How is that even possible?† Julia cast a glance around the library and twisted in her chair. She rolled her shirt up a little, exposing her lower back – and a faded tattoo of a swallow in flight. Satisfied that I'd seen it, she turned back around. â€Å"I got this last spring break – and it was the best spring break ever.† â€Å"Because of the tattoo?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"When I got it, it didn't look like this. It was metallic†¦ not like yours. Or Slade's. More like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Copper,† provided Kristin. Julia thought about it and nodded. â€Å"Yeah, like reddish-goldish. The color only lasted a week, and while it did, it was amazing. Like, I have never felt that good. It was inhumanly good. The best high ever.† â€Å"I swear, there's some kind of drug in those celestials,† said Kristin. She was trying to sound disapproving, but I thought I detected a note of envy. â€Å"If you had one, you'd understand,† Julia told her. â€Å"Celestials†¦ I heard that girl over there talk about them,† I said. â€Å"Laurel?† asked Julia. â€Å"Yeah, that's what they call the copper ones. Because they make you feel out of this world.† She looked almost embarrassed about her enthusiasm. â€Å"Stupid name, huh?† â€Å"Is that what Slade's does?† I asked, stunned at what was unfolding before me. â€Å"No, he's got a steel one,† said Kristin. â€Å"Those give you a big athletic boost. Like, you're stronger, faster. Stuff like that. They last longer than the celestials – more like two weeks. Sometimes three, but the effect fades. They call them steel because they're tough, I guess. And maybe because there's steel in them.† Not steel, I thought. A silver compound. The art of using metal to bind certain properties in skin was one the Alchemists had perfected a long time ago. Gold was the absolute best, which was why we used it. Other metals – when formulated in the proper ways – achieved similar effects, but neither silver nor copper would bind the way gold could. The copper tattoo was easy to understand. Any number of feel-good substances or drugs could be combined with that for a short-term effect. The silver one was more difficult for me to understand – or rather, the effects of the silver one. What they were describing sounded like some kind of athletic steroid. Would silver hold that? I'd have to check. â€Å"How many people have these?† I asked them, awestruck. I couldn't believe that such complicated tattoos were so popular here. It was also beginning to sink in just how wealthy the student body here really was. The materials alone would cost a fortune, let alone any of the alleged side effects. â€Å"Everyone,† said Julia. Kristin scowled. â€Å"Not everyone. I've almost got enough saved up, though.† â€Å"I'd say half the school's at least tried a celestial,† said Julia, flashing her friend a comforting look. â€Å"You can get them touched up again later – but it still costs money.† â€Å"Half the school?† I repeated incredulously. I looked around, wondering how many shirts and pants concealed tattoos. â€Å"This is crazy. I can't believe a tattoo can do any of that.† I hoped I was doing an okay job of hiding how much I really knew. â€Å"Get a celestial,† said Julia with a grin. â€Å"Then you'll believe.† â€Å"Where do you get them?† â€Å"It's a place called Nevermore,† said Kristin. â€Å"They're selective, though, and don't give them out easily.† Not that selective, I thought, if half the school had them. â€Å"They got a lot more cautious after Trey tried to turn them in.† There was Trey's name again. It now made sense that he'd been so disdainful of my tattoo when we met. But I wondered why he cared so much – enough to try to get them shut down. That wasn't just a casual disagreement. â€Å"I guess he thinks it's unfair?† I offered diplomatically. â€Å"I think he's just jealous that he can't afford one,† said Julia. â€Å"He's got a tattoo, you know. It's a sun on his back. But it's just a regular black one – not gold like yours. I've never seen anything like yours.† â€Å"So that's why you thought mine made me smart,† I said. â€Å"That could've been really useful during finals,† said Julia wistfully. â€Å"You're sure that's not why you know so much?† I smiled, despite how appalled I was by what I'd just learned. â€Å"I wish. It might make getting through this book easier. Which,† I added, glancing at the clock. â€Å"I should get to.† It was on Greco-Roman priests and magicians, a kind of grimoire detailing the kinds of spells and rituals they'd worked with. It wasn't terrible reading material, but it was long. I'd thought Ms. Terwilliger's research was more focused on mainstream religions in that era, so the book seemed like a weird choice. Maybe she was hoping to include a section on alternative magical practices. Regardless, who was I to question? If she asked, I'd do it. I outlasted both Kristin and Julia in the library, since I had to stay as long as Ms. Terwilliger stayed, which was until the library closed. She seemed pleased that I'd gotten so far with the notes and told me she'd like the whole book completed in three days. â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† I said automatically, as if I didn't have any other classes at this school. Why did I always agree without thinking? I returned to East Campus, bleary-eyed from all the work I'd done and exhausted over the thought of the homework remaining. Jill was fast asleep, which I took as a small blessing. I wouldn't have to face her accusing stare or figure out how to handle the awkward silence. I got ready for bed quickly and quietly and fell asleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow. I woke at around three to the sound of crying. Shaking off my sleepy haze, I was able to make out Jill sitting up in her bed, her face buried in her hands. Great, shaking sobs racked her body. â€Å"Jill?† I asked uncertainly. â€Å"What's wrong?† In the faint light coming in from outside, I saw Jill raise her head and look at me. Unable to answer, she shook her head and began crying once more, this time more loudly. I got up and came to sit on the edge of her bed. I couldn't quite bring myself to hug or touch her for comfort. Nonetheless, I felt terrible. I knew this had to be my fault. â€Å"Jill, I'm so sorry. I never should have gone to see Adrian. When Lee mentioned you, I should've just stopped it there and told him to talk to you if he was interested. I should've just talked to you in the first place†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The words came out in a jumble. When I looked at her, all I could think of was Zoe and her horrible accusations on the night I'd left. Somehow, my help always backfired. Jill sniffled and managed to get out a few words before breaking down again. â€Å"It's not†¦ it's not that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared helplessly at her tears, frustrated at myself. Kristin and Julia thought I was superhumanly smart. Yet I guaranteed one of them would've been able to comfort Jill a hundred times better than I could. I reached out my hand and nearly patted her arm – but pulled back at the last moment. No, I couldn't do that. That Alchemist voice in me, the voice that always warned me to keep my distance from vampires, wouldn't let me touch one in a way that was so personal. â€Å"Then what is it?† I asked at last. She shook her head. â€Å"It's not†¦ I can't tell†¦ you wouldn't understand.† With Jill, I thought, any number of things could be wrong. The uncertainty of her royal status. The threats against her. Being sent away from all her family and friends, trapped among humans in the perpetual sun. I really didn't know where to start. Last night, there had been a chilling, desperate terror in her eyes when she woke up. But this was different. This was sorrow. This was from the heart. â€Å"What can I do to help?† I asked at last. It took her a few moments to pull herself together. â€Å"You're already doing plenty,† she managed. â€Å"We all appreciate it – really. Especially after what Keith said to you.† Was there nothing Adrian hadn't told her? â€Å"And I'm sorry – I'm sorry I was so bitchy to you earlier. You didn't deserve that. You were just trying to help.† â€Å"No†¦ don't apologize. I messed up.† â€Å"You don't have to worry, you know,† she added. â€Å"About Micah. I understand. I only want to be his friend.† I was pretty sure that I still wasn't doing a great job at making her feel better. But I had to admit, apologizing to me at least seemed to be distracting her from whatever had woken her to so much pain. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"I should never have worried about you.† She assured me again that she was fine, with no more explanation about why she'd woken up crying. I felt like I should have done more to help, but instead, I made my way back to my own bed. I didn't hear any more sobs for the rest of the night, but once, when I woke up a couple hours later, I stole a glance at her. Her features were just barely discernible in the early light. She lay there, eyes wide open and staring off into nothingness, a haunted look on her face.

Want to Know More About Common App Essay Prompt 1 Samples?

Want to Know More About Common App Essay Prompt 1 Samples? Your application essay isn't a place to name the complete collection of your achievements. The recommendation has to be submitted straight from the school official. In reality, the prompts for both applications aren't terribly different from one another. So take the correct decision! Should you need additional support, Common Application is available to assist you fill out the application for admission. For several years the Common Application had no specific word limit. The internet process for the Common Application can be complicated, but it is a great deal better than applying to every school individually (which is terribly time-consuming and may lead to errors). Up in Arms About Common App Essay Prompt 1 Samples? There are a number of essay writing services that think they're the very best, and therefore don't be cheated and check the genuine list of the very best. Also, don't forget that the last prompt enables you to submit a present essay or even create your very own prompt. Simply since there is an option to read some essay examples made by the prior applicants. This section will examine two essays from the examples which were collected above so we are able to pull them apart and look into the criteria that result in a terrific college application essay. If you're authentic, nobody can write the identical essay as you! Now's the time to begin considering how you're approach the essay prompts it's never too early to begin thinking about college admissions! Your response shouldn't be a book report. A big part of the Common App is, obviously, the essay. Two new essay options are added, and a number of the previous questions are revised. Share an essay on any subject of your selection. There are two methods to approach this specific prompt. The easy response to your question is you may decide to write about anything you desire. The prompt is really asking what's important to YOU as an individual. There isn't a prompt to direct you, which means you must ask yourself the questions that will get at the center of the story you would like to tell. The key is to locate some edginess. No prompt is inherently superior than every other. After all, the college would like to understand what you're about. At precisely the same time, you will impress the college admissions folks greatly if you may present your capacity to learn from your failures and mistakes. You must share a distinctive component of your background or upbringing. Don't neglect to explain why the issue is valua ble to you! If there's a problem you have at any time solved or maybe would love to solve, describe it. There really are many methods to go about your writing and lots of diverse tactics to think through its effects on you. The stream of your ideas and ideas ought to be natural and logic. Once more, if your inner feelings tell you you're able to fail with your application (in case your own personal statement stays like it is), then there's just one wise remedy to turn for the support of a dependable custom writing service. You may even be in a position to read examples from previous students to acquire your creative juices flowing. Don't forget to make abstract claims concrete, or so the reader knows precisely what you mean. Her essay might be speaking about handiwork, but it's also providing evidence of her capacity to take care of the challenges of college-level work. This essay has to be something which's past the remainder of your application. In its core, the college application essay is about reflection. For example, you can zoom in on one specific part of your background and identity and the way it informs the manner in which you look at and approach certain things. Nevertheless, you probably have plenty of questions as yet unanswered. This question was reworded for 2017-18, and the present language is a very big improvement. This very first question is broad and offers you plenty of latitude.

The Mako Shark

Two species of Mako sharks, close relatives of great white sharks,  inhabit the worlds oceans – shortfin makos and longfin makos. One characteristic that sets these sharks apart is their speed: The shortfin mako shark holds the record for being the fastest shark in the sea and is among the fastest swimming fish in the world. How Fast  Do They Swim? The shortfin mako shark has been clocked at a sustained speed of 20 mph, but it can double or triple that speed for short periods of time. Shortfin makos can reliably accelerate to 46 mph, and some individuals may even reach 60 mph. Their torpedo-shaped bodies enable them to surge through the water at such a rapid speed. Mako sharks also have tiny, flexible scales covering their body, allowing them to control the flow of water over their skin and minimize drag. And shortfin makos arent just fast; they can also change direction in a split second. Their remarkable speed and maneuverability make them lethal predators. Are They Dangerous? Any large shark, including the mako, can be dangerous when encountered. Mako sharks have long, sharp teeth, and they can quickly overtake any potential prey thanks to their speed. However, mako sharks dont usually swim in the shallow, coastal waters where most shark attacks occur. Deep-sea fishermen and SCUBA divers encounter shortfin mako sharks more often than swimmers and surfers. Only eight mako shark attacks have been documented, and none were fatal. Characteristics The mako shark averages about 10 feet long and 300 pounds, but the largest individuals can weigh well over 1,000 pounds. Makos are metallic silver on the underside and a deep, shiny blue on the top. The main difference between shortfin makos and longfin makos is, as you may have guessed, the length of their fins. Longfin mako sharks have longer pectoral fins with broad tips. Mako sharks have pointed, conical snouts, and cylindrical bodies, which minimizes water resistance and makes them hydrodynamic. The caudal fin is lunate in form, like a crescent-shaped moon. A firm ridge just ahead of the caudal fin, called a caudal keel, increases their fin stability when swimming. Mako sharks have large, black eyes and five long gill slits on each side. Their long teeth usually protrude from their mouths. Classification Mako sharks belong to the family of mackerel or white sharks. The mackerel sharks are large, with pointed snouts and long gill slits, and theyre known for their speed. The mackerel shark family includes just five living species: porbeagles (Lamna nasus), salmon sharks (Lamna ditropis), shortfin makos (Isurus oxyrinchus), longfin makos (Isurus paucus), and great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). Mako sharks are classified as follows: Kingdom - Animalia (animals)Phylum - Chordata (organisms with a dorsal nerve cord)Class – Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)Order – Lamniformes (mackerel sharks)Family - Lamnidae (mackerel sharks)Genus – IsurusSpecies – Isurus spp Life Cycle Not much is known about longfin mako shark reproduction. Shortfin mako sharks grow slowly, taking years to reach sexual maturity. Males reach reproductive age at 8 years or more, and females take at least 18 years. In addition to their slow growth rate, shortfin mako sharks have a 3-year reproductive cycle. This extended life cycle makes the mako shark population extremely vulnerable to practices like overfishing. Mako sharks mate, so fertilization occurs internally. Their development is ovoviviparous, with young developing in a uterus but nourished by a yolk sac rather than a placenta. Better developed young are known to cannibalize their less developed siblings in utero, a practice known as oophagy. Gestation takes up to 18 months, at which time the mother gives birth to a litter of live pups. Mako shark litters average 8-10 pups, but occasionally as many as 18 may survive. After giving birth, the female mako wont mate again for another 18 months. Habitat Shortfin and longfin mako sharks differ slightly in their ranges and habitats. Shortfin mako sharks are considered pelagic fish, meaning they inhabit the water column but tend to avoid coastal waters and the ocean bottom. Longfin mako sharks are epipelagic, which means they inhabit the upper portion of the water column, where light can penetrate. Mako sharks inhabit tropical and warm temperate waters but arent usually found in colder water bodies. Mako sharks are migratory fish. Shark tagging studies document mako sharks traveling distances of 2,000 miles and more. They are found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, in latitudes as far south as Brazil and as far north as the northeastern United States. Diet Shortfin mako sharks feed mainly on bony fish, as well as other sharks and cephalopods (squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish). Large mako sharks will sometimes consumer larger prey, like dolphins or sea turtles. Not much is known about the longfin mako sharks feeding habits, but their diet is probably similar to that of shortfin makos. Endangerment Human activities, including the inhumane practice of shark finning, are gradually pushing mako sharks toward possible extinction. Makos are not endangered at this time, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), but both shortfin and longfin mako sharks are classified as vulnerable species. Shortfin mako sharks are a favorite catch of sport fishermen and are also prized for their meat. Both shortfin and longfin makos are often killed as bycatch in tuna and swordfish fisheries, and these unintentional deaths are largely underreported. Sources Shortfin Mako, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Longfin Mako, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Isurus , IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.oxyrinchusIsurus paucus, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Statistics on Attacking Species of Shark, University of Florida, Florida Museum website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Mako Shark, NOAA Fisheries Fact Sheet. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Species: Isurus , Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.oxyrinchus, Shortfin makoSpecies: Isurus paucus, Longfin mako, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Ovoviviparity, Support Our Sharks website. Accessed online July 12, 2017.Flexible Scales Add to Speed of , by Sindya N. Bhanoo, November 29, 2010, New York Times.Shortin Mako Shark