Image hiding scheme with modulus function and dynamic programming strategy on partitioned pixels

In this paper, we shall propose a novel image-hiding scheme. Our new scheme classifies the host image pixels into two groups of pixels according to the pixel values. For each group of pixels, the corresponding secret pixel values go through an optimal substitution process and are transformed into other pixel values by following the dynamic programming strategy. Then, we can embed the transformed pixel values in the host pixels by using the modulus functions and obtain the stego-image. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our new method is capable of offering better stego-image quality than a number of well-accepted schemes.     

A novel data hiding scheme based on modulus function

Four criteria are generally used to evaluate the performance of data hiding scheme: the embedding capacity, the visual quality of the stego-image, the security, and the complexity of the data-embedding algorithm. However, data hiding schemes seldom take all these factors into consideration. This paper proposes a novel data hiding scheme that uses a simple modulus function to address all the performance criteria listed above. According to the input secret keys, the encoder and decoder use the same set-generation functions H_r() and H_c() to first generate two sets Kr and Kc. A variant Cartesian product is then created using Kr and Kc. Each cover pixel then forms a pixel group with its neighboring pixels by exploiting an efficient modulus function; the secret data are then embedded or extracted via a mapping process between the variant of the Cartesian product and each pixel group. The proposed scheme offers several advantages, namely (1) the embedding capacity can be scaled, (2) a good visual quality of the stego-image can be achieved, (3) the computational cost of embedding or extracting the secret data is low and requires little memory space, (4) secret keys are used to protect the secret data and (5) the problem of overflow or underflow does not occur, regardless of the nature of the cover pixels.We tested the performance of the proposed scheme by comparing it with Mielikainen’s and Zhang and Wang’s schemes for gray-scale images. The experimental results showed that our proposed scheme outperforms Mielikainen’s in three respects, namely scalable embedding capacity, embedding rate, and level of security. Our data hiding scheme also achieved a higher embedding capacity than Zhang and Wang’s. The proposed scheme can easily be applied to both gray-scale and color images. Analyses of its performance showed that our proposed scheme outperforms Tsai and Wang’s in terms of its time complexity and memory space requirement.     

改进的基于模函数的数据隐藏方案

Lee等人(LEE C F, CHEN H L. A novel data hiding scheme based on modulus function. The Journal of Systems and Software, 2010, 83(5): 832-843)提出了一种基于模函数的数据隐写方法,在图像质量可接受的情况下,每个像素的最大嵌入容量为4位二进制数。但是当每个像素的嵌入量为4位时,隐写图像的质量较差,容易引起攻击者的注意。对该方法进行了改进,缩小了像素改变的范围。理论分析及模拟实验表明,改进方法不但保留了原方法的各种优点,而且使PSNR值增加1.5~3.5dB,提高了隐写图像的视觉不可见性及抵御RS攻击的能力。     

Finding optimal least-significant-bit substitution in image hiding by dynamic programming strategy

The processing of simple least-significant-bit (LSB) substitution embeds the secret image in the least significant bits of the pixels in the host image. This processing may degrade the host image quality so significantly that grabbers can detect that there is something going on in the image that interests them. To overcome this drawback, an exhaustive least-significant-bit substitution scheme was proposed by Wang et al. but it takes huge computation time. Wang et al. then proposed another method that uses a genetic algorithm to search “approximate” optimal solutions and computation time is no longer so huge. In this paper, we shall use the dynamic programming strategy to get the optimal solution. The experimental results will show that our method consumes less computation time and also gets the optimal solution.     

基于新的Arnold反变换的图像信息隐藏方案*

基于新的Arnold反变换提出了对公开图像进行置乱变换的信息隐藏算法。算法一反常规地不是对秘密图像而是对公开图像实施置乱预处理。首先对公开图像进行Arnold变换,然后对变换后的公开图像分块进行DCT,在低频部分嵌入秘密信息,最后运用新的Arnold反变换恢复原图。这样大大减少了运算量,极大增强了信息的安全性,攻击及对比实验充分表明了此算法的鲁棒性和有效性,也证明了新的Arnold反变换的优势和可行性。     

A reversible data hiding scheme using complementary embedding strategy

Obtaining good visual quality and high hiding capacity with reversible data hiding systems is a technically challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a simple reversible data hiding scheme that uses a complementary hiding strategy. The proposed method embeds one secret bit horizontally and vertically into one cover pixel of a grayscale cover image by decreasing odd-valued pixels and increasing even-valued pixels by one. Experimental results show that the hiding capacity measured by bit per pixel (bpp) of the proposed scheme is at least 1.21 bpp with a PSNR (peak signal-to-noise ratio) value greater than 52 dB for all standard test images. Especially in the case of four-layer embedding, the PSNR value of the proposed method is still greater than 51 dB at a hiding capacity of about 5 bpp for all standard test images. In addition, the proposed method is quite simple because it primarily uses additions and subtractions. These results indicate that the proposed scheme is superior to many existing reversible data hiding schemes introduced in the literature.     

Inverted pattern approach to improve image quality of information hiding by LSB substitution

Capacity and invisibility are two targets of the methods for information hiding. Because these two targets contradict each other, to hide large messages into the cover image and remain invisible is an interesting challenge. The simple least-significant-bit (LSB) substitution approach, which embeds secret messages into the LSB of pixels in cover images, usually embeds huge secret messages. After a large message is embedded, the quality of the stego-image will be significantly degraded. In this paper, a new LSB-based method, called the inverted pattern (IP) LSB substitution approach, is proposed to improve the quality of the stego-image. Each section of secret images is determined to be inverted or not inverted before it is embedded. The decisions are recorded by an IP for the purpose of extracting data and the pattern can be seen as a secret key or an extra data to be re-embedded. The experimental results show that our proposed method runs fast and has better results than that of previous works.     

一个新的基于多重秘密共享的图像隐藏方案

提出了一种新的图像隐藏方案,该方案糅合了多重秘密共享思想与LSB算法,生成的影子图像约为秘密图像的1/t,从而减小了载体图像的容量。本方案允许任意选取 (t-1)次多项式的模数p,并根据该模数p将秘密图像的若干个像素点拼接成一个数据单元,有效克服了Thien方案中秘密图像需进行置乱处理的缺陷。此外,本方案构造的多项式明显少于Thien方案和Li Bai方案。     

A reversible information hiding scheme using left-right and up-down chinese character representation

Techniques for text data hiding are different from image data hiding, video data hiding and audio data hiding. To break through the difficulty of text data hiding, Sun, Lou and Huang proposed a novel Chinese text data hiding scheme called the L-R scheme. In the L-R scheme, Sun et al. embedded secrets into Chinese characters that can be divided into left and right components. This paper describes how our proposed scheme extends the component concept to incorporate the up and down components of Chinese characters rather than the left and right components only, to significantly enhance hiding capacity. In addition, this paper adds a reversible function to Sun et al.’s L-R scheme to make it possible for receivers to obtain the original cover text and use it repeatedly for later transmission of secrets after the initial hidden secrets have been extracted. Finally, the extended scheme simplifies the extracting procedure and efficiently reduces the memory required on the receiver side during the secret extracting phase by using a new comparison method. Experimental results confirm the improved functions offered by the proposed scheme.     

基于分存的多幅图像信息隐藏方案*

在秘密图像分存的基础上,提出一种多幅图像进行信息隐藏的算法。首先把秘密图像分存到指定的两个毫无关系的图像中,然后在公开图像的奇数行（列）嵌入第一幅图像,在偶数行（列）嵌入第二幅图像,从而实现多幅图像在一幅公开图像中的隐藏。给出了两幅图像嵌入一幅图像的实验,并对隐藏性能作了分析与比较。该算法原理简单有效,编程容易,信息的嵌入与提取速度快,并且这种多幅图像进行信息隐藏的方法可以嵌套于目前的大多数算法,有很强的推广性。     

增强图像平滑度的可逆信息隐藏方案

随着互联网技术的发展和社交网络的普及,可逆信息隐藏技术因其具有无损恢复载体信息的特性而被广泛应用于医疗、军事等领域的隐蔽信息传输。传统的可逆信息隐藏方案大多聚焦于嵌入容量提升和载密图像失真率降低,并未过多关注人们对图像视觉细节的要求,难以抵抗隐藏信息检测方法。针对上述挑战,从增强图像视觉平滑度方面入手,提出了一种增强图像平滑度的可逆信息隐藏方案,在嵌入隐蔽信息的同时提升载密图像最终的视觉质量。具体来说,所提方案将目标图像分为参考区域与非参考区域,利用非参考区域的图像像素预测值与原始像素值的差值作为信息嵌入的判断依据,通过差值平移来嵌入信息;进而构造图像平滑机制,采用高斯滤波作为秘密信息嵌入时像素值修改的模板,对预测值进行滤波计算,将滤波差值无损地加入载体图像中,以达到图像平滑的效果;同时将参考区域的像素值作为边信息,用于实现信息提取方对原始载体图像和秘密信息的无损恢复和提取;并以高斯函数中的滤波系数作为预置秘密信息对嵌入信息进行加密处理以保证嵌入信息的机密性。大量经典图像数据集的测试与分析结果表明,所提方案处理过的载密图像视觉平滑度得到了显著增强,具有较低的失真率、较高的嵌入率和较高的嵌入提取效率。在典型环境下,其生成的载密图像与高斯滤波后的图像相似度可达0.996 3,且可获得37.346的峰值信噪比和0.328 9的嵌入容量。     

A reversible data hiding scheme based on graph neighbourhood degree

Abstract

The perceptibility and capacity are two vital criteria of data hiding scheme. Concerning these criteria, data hiding algorithm used images as cover object based on the graph theory is proposed in this study. Images are quantised according to determined range and then quantised images are divided into n × n sized blocks. Each block is accepted as a graph and vertexes which have the same quantisation value are accepted as neighbours. Neighbourhood degrees of vertexes are calculated and indices of vertexes that have a neighbourhood degree over the threshold value are stored in the codebook. Pixel values indicated by these indices in the codebook are used for data hiding process. In this algorithm, there is no need for edge extraction because of hiding data to pixels containing vertexes having high neighbourhood degrees. The proposed method is compared with similar methods in literature in terms of the perceptibility and capacity. More successful results are provided than the others.     

A high capacity data hiding scheme for binary images based on block patterns

This paper proposes a high capacity data hiding scheme for binary images based on block patterns, which can facilitate the authentication and annotation of scanned images. The scheme proposes block patterns for a 2 × 2 block to enforce specific block-based relationship in order to embed a significant amount of data without causing noticeable artifacts. In addition, two kinds of matching pair (MP) methods, internal adjustment MP and external adjustment MP, are designed to decrease the embedding changes. Shuffling is applied before embedding to reduce the distortion and improve the security. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme gives a significantly improved embedding capacity than previous approaches in the same level of embedding distortion. We also analyze the perceptual impact and discuss the robustness and security issues.     

基于差值直方图的简单高效可逆信息隐藏方法

提出一种基于图像相邻像素差值直方图的可逆信息隐藏方法,运用该方法同时提高了信息嵌入容量和嵌入信息后的图像质量。首先对原始图像进行分块、扫描并求取差值直方图,然后在分块图像的差值直方图中选取最高的两个峰值点并向两个方向移位来产生空缺用于信息嵌入。算法充分利用了自然图像的相邻相似特性,同时提高了基于直方图的信息隐藏方案的峰值点数目和峰值点高度,从而大大提高信息嵌入容量。此外,算法在信息嵌入前对待嵌入信息的预处理使得在嵌入同样容量的信息时,对载体图像的影响更小,具有更好的嵌入后图像质量。     

基于信息隐藏的监控图像防篡改方法

针对当前监控图像可能被恶意篡改的问题,提出了一种基于信息隐藏的监控图像保存及防篡改方法。首先,通过信息隐藏的手段,将监控图像的来源传感器及摄取时间信息进行隐藏,给出了一种基于信息隐藏的监控图像及现场信息保存的大致流程。然后,采用信息隐藏中典型的最低有效比特位( LSB)替换隐藏算法,给出了现场信息的随机嵌入和提取算法。最后,实验分析结果表明,在图像质量得到较好保持的情况下,所提方法能够实现现场信息的有效嵌入和提取,验证了所提方法的可行性和有效性。     

A simple and high-hiding capacity method for hiding digit-by-digit data in images based on modulus function

This study presents a simple method for high-hiding capacity. The basic concept uses a modulus operation. The proposed method has the following advantages: (1) the proposed method outperforms the simple LSB substitution method given the same range (0–m−1) of data digits in the embedded data; (2) the proposed method achieves good image vision quality without the need for post-processing; (3) the proposed method is almost as simple as the LSB method in both coding and decoding; (4) the smaller error advantage over the simple LSB substitution method can also be mathematically verified; (5) the error is smaller than (m−1)/2 for almost every pixel; (6) the proposed method has high-hiding capacity (for example, the proposed method can hide a 256×256 or 256×512 image in a 512×512 host image).     

结合奇异值分解的小波包图像隐藏

图像隐藏技术的发展为军事隐蔽通信提供了新的实施途径。提出基于奇异值分解和小波包变换的图像隐藏算法,利用小波包变换低频子带抗干扰性强和图像矩阵奇异值的稳定性,对秘密图像做位平面分解并对载体图像做小波包分解,将包含重要信息的位平面隐藏在小波包分解低频系数矩阵的奇异值矩阵中,将包含次要信息的位平面隐藏在熵能量较大的其他剩余子带图像系数矩阵中,次要位平面的隐藏位置根据载体图像的内容自适应确定。实验表明,该算法可实现图像信息的安全隐藏,不仅具有较强的抗几何攻击的能力,且对高斯、剪切和滤波等攻击的鲁棒性也较好,同时具有较好的不可见性,隐藏容量大。     

基于图像复杂度的隐写方法研究*

为了提供较大的隐写容量和保持良好的载密图像质量,依据人眼对纹理、边界和黑暗区域变化敏感性弱的视觉特点,结合小波变换提出了一种图像复杂度描述方法,将图像小块分为纹理、边界、黑暗和平滑四个不同类别,利用模函数设计隐写算法,在不同区域嵌入不同量的信息。实验结果表明,新的复杂度描述方法能准确区分不同类型的小块,隐写算法在提高嵌入容量的同时保持了较好的视觉质量。     

Function S-rough sets and security-authentication of hiding law

Function S-rbugh sets are defined by R-function equivalence class, which have dynamic characteristic. Function S-rough sets have dynamic characteristic, law characteristic and law-hiding characteristic. Function S-rough sets can generate f-hiding law and f-hiding law. By engrafting, crossing, and penetrating between the information security theory and function S-rough sets, the security hiding and the authentication of f-hiding law and f-hiding law are given respectively in this paper. The fusion and share between function S-rough sets and information security theory is a new research direction of the application of information law in information system.     

A high quality steganographic method with pixel-value differencing and modulus function

In this paper, we shall propose a new image steganographic technique capable of producing a secret-embedded image that is totally indistinguishable from the original image by the human eye. In addition, our new method avoids the falling-off-boundary problem by using pixel-value differencing and the modulus function. First, we derive a difference value from two consecutive pixels by utilizing the pixel-value differencing technique (PVD). The hiding capacity of the two consecutive pixels depends on the difference value. In other words, the smoother area is, the less secret data can be hidden; on the contrary, the more edges an area has, the more secret data can be embedded. This way, the stego-image quality degradation is more imperceptible to the human eye. Second, the remainder of the two consecutive pixels can be computed by using the modulus operation, and then secret data can be embedded into the two pixels by modifying their remainder. In our scheme, there is an optimal approach to alter the remainder so as to greatly reduce the image distortion caused by the hiding of the secret data. The values of the two consecutive pixels are scarcely changed after the embedding of the secret message by the proposed optimal alteration algorithm. Experimental results have also demonstrated that the proposed scheme is secure against the RS detection attack.