Performance enhanced image steganography systems using transforms and optimization techniques

Image steganography is the art of hiding highly sensitive information onto the cover image. An ideal approach to image steganography must satisfy two factors: high quality of stego image and high embedding capacity. Conventionally, transform based techniques are widely preferred for these applications. The commonly used transforms for steganography applications are Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) etc. In this work, frequency domain transforms such as Fresnelet Transform (FT) and Contourlet Transform (CT) are used for the data hiding process. The secret data is normally hidden in the coefficients of these transforms. However, data hiding in transform coefficients yield less accurate results since the coefficients used for data hiding are selected randomly. Hence, in this work, optimization techniques such as Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are used for improving the performance of the steganography system. GA and PSO are used to find the best coefficients in order to hide the Quick Response (QR) coded secret data. This approach yields an average PSNR of 52.56 dB and an embedding capacity of 902,136 bits. These experimental results validate the practical feasibility of the proposed methodology for security applications.     

Separable data hiding in encrypted image based on compressive sensing and discrete fourier transform

Reversible data hiding in encrypted images has become an effective and popular way to preserve the security and privacy of users’ personal images. Recently, Xiao et al. firstly presented reversible data hiding in encrypted images with use of the modern signal processing technique compressive sensing (CS). However, the quality of decrypted image is not great enough. In this paper, a new method of separable data hiding in encrypted images are proposed by using CS and discrete fourier transform, which takes full advantage of both real and imaginary coefficients for ensuring great recovery and providing flexible payload. Compared with the original work, the proposed method can obtain better image quality when concealing the same embedding capacity. Furthermore, image decryption and data extraction are separable in the proposed method, and the secret data can be extracted relatively accurately.     

A new steganography algorithm using polar decomposition

Nowadays, the security of communication becomes very important with the rapid development of network technology. So, the transmission and distribution of the several digital information must be protected and secured against other users. Many steganography techniques have been proposed for embedding secret digital data in other digital data. In this article, we propose a new steganography algorithm based on a linear algebraic tool that is the polar decomposition (PD) for hiding secret data in an image. A host image is selected and divided into blocks of size 2 × 2, a PD is applied on each block, and the secret data are embedded in suitable blocks. Experimental results show that our proposed algorithm gives a higher hiding capacity, achieves good imperceptibility, and also provides a high degree of security against common types of attacks such as compression attack with quality 10%, gamma correction attack, and impulse noise attack.     

A Steganography Based on Optimal Multi-Threshold Block Labeling

Hiding secret data in digital images is one of the major research fields in information security. Recently, reversible data hiding in encrypted images has attracted extensive attention due to the emergence of cloud services. This paper proposes a novel reversible data hiding method in encrypted images based on an optimal multi-threshold block labeling technique (OMTBL-RDHEI). In our scheme, the content owner encrypts the cover image with block permutation, pixel permutation, and stream cipher, which preserve the in-block correlation of pixel values. After uploading to the cloud service, the data hider applies the prediction error rearrangement (PER), the optimal threshold selection (OTS), and the multi-threshold labeling (MTL) methods to obtain a compressed version of the encrypted image and embed secret data into the vacated room. The receiver can extract the secret, restore the cover image, or do both according to his/her granted authority. The proposed MTL labels blocks of the encrypted image with a list of threshold values which is optimized with OTS based on the features of the current image. Experimental results show that labeling image blocks with the optimized threshold list can efficiently enlarge the amount of vacated room and thus improve the embedding capacity of an encrypted cover image. Security level of the proposed scheme is analyzed and the embedding capacity is compared with state-of-the-art schemes. Both are concluded with satisfactory performance.     

基于图像伪装与双向差值扩展的密文域可逆信息隐藏算法

数字图像在云环境下的安全性问题已成为信息安全领域的研究热点之一。为解决传统密文域可逆信息隐藏算法缺乏伪装性,容易受到恶意攻击与信息隐藏空间容量小的问题,提出了基于图像伪装加密与双向差值扩展的大容量密文域可逆信息隐藏算法。该算法首先利用矢量量化与离散小波变换两种技术对原始图像进行伪装加密,从而保证隐蔽性,使得图像在云环境中安全传递;其次采用基于双向差值扩展的信息隐藏技术对伪装加密图像进行秘密信息的嵌入,以实现高容量的信息隐藏。实验结果表明,所提算法不仅实现了图像伪装,而且最终得到的含密伪装图像与原始图像在视觉上无明显差别,峰值信噪比达到40 dB以上,对原始图像起到了很好的伪装效果;同时实现了高容量的秘密信息嵌入,图像平均嵌入率接近0.6 bpp,表现出了良好的实验性能。     

结合恰可察觉编码失真模型的HEVC大容量信息隐藏方法

目的 数字视频通常经过压缩后传输,结合视频编码标准嵌入秘密信息是视频信息隐藏的主流技术。然而,现有基于HEVC（high-efficiency video coding）的视频信息隐藏技术存在码率增长过快、视频质量下降等问题。针对以上问题,提出结合恰可察觉编码失真模型（JNCD）的HEVC大容量信息隐藏方法。方法 JNCD模型是一种面向HEVC视频编码的视觉感知模型。该模型充分考虑编码过程的模糊和块效应,有效去除视频感知冗余,在相同码率下可获得更高的主观感知质量。结合JNCD模型,调节I帧中编码单元（CU）的最优量化参数（QP）值,并利用基于方向调整（EMD）算法嵌入秘密信息,进一步增加信息隐藏容量。为了提高信息的安全性,用密钥对秘密信息进行置乱加密处理,在解码端只有持有该密钥的用户才能正确解密,获得秘密信息。结果 实验使用HEVC参考软件HM16.0,选取分辨率不同的序列进行测试。结果表明,秘密信息嵌入后,视频测试序列的PSNR平均值为41.16 dB,与现有的信息隐藏方法相比,不仅保持较好的主观和客观视频质量,而且信息隐藏容量平均提升2倍左右。结论 采用本方法在保证原视频图像的质量的情况下,能够有效增加信息隐藏的容量,并能够一定程度阻止码率增长,符合信息隐藏的不可见性、安全性和实时性要求。     

An adaptive image steganographic scheme based on Noise Visibility Function and an optimal chaotic based encryption method

Steganography is the science of hiding secret message in an appropriate digital multimedia in such a way that the existence of the embedded message should be invisible to anyone apart from the sender or the intended recipient. This paper presents an irreversible scheme for hiding a secret image in the cover image that is able to improve both the visual quality and the security of the stego-image while still providing a large embedding capacity. This is achieved by a hybrid steganography scheme incorporates Noise Visibility Function (NVF) and an optimal chaotic based encryption scheme. In the embedding process, first to reduce the image distortion and to increase the embedding capacity, the payload of each region of the cover image is determined dynamically according to NVF. NVF analyzes the local image properties to identify the complex areas where more secret bits should be embedded. This ensures to maintain a high visual quality of the stego-image as well as a large embedding capacity. Second, the security of the secret image is brought about by an optimal chaotic based encryption scheme to transform the secret image into an encrypted image. Third, the optimal chaotic based encryption scheme is achieved by using a hybrid optimization of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) which is allowing us to find an optimal secret key. The optimal secret key is able to encrypt the secret image so as the rate of changes after embedding process be decreased which results in increasing the quality of the stego-image. In the extracting process, the secret image can be extracted from the stego-image losslessly without referring to the original cover image. The experimental results confirm that the proposed scheme not only has the ability to achieve a good trade-off between the payload and the stego-image quality, but also can resist against the statistics and image processing attacks.     

LSB based non blind predictive edge adaptive image steganography

Image steganography is the art of hiding secret message in grayscale or color images. Easy detection of secret message for any state-of-art image steganography can break the stego system. To prevent the breakdown of the stego system data is embedded in the selected area of an image which reduces the probability of detection. Most of the existing adaptive image steganography techniques achieve low embedding capacity. In this paper a high capacity Predictive Edge Adaptive image steganography technique is proposed where selective area of cover image is predicted using Modified Median Edge Detector (MMED) predictor to embed the binary payload (data). The cover image used to embed the payload is a grayscale image. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme achieves better embedding capacity with minimum level of distortion and higher level of security. The proposed scheme is compared with the existing image steganography schemes. Results show that the proposed scheme achieves better embedding rate with lower level of distortion.     

A secure image steganography based on modified matrix encoding using the adaptive region selection technique

This paper introduced an image steganography technique based on modified matrix encoding to enhance the perceptual quality of the stego images. Additionally, more pixel bit-planes are exploited in the data hiding process to improve the embedding capacity. The number of used image layers depends on the size of the given secret message and the texture characteristic of the cover image. The complexity of the pixel block is identified by the difference between the middle pixel and its neighbors. By performing the suitable embedding solutions of modified matrix encoding, the complexity is unchanged by the data hiding stage. Therefore, the used image regions could be determined precisely in the extraction process without using any additional information. The experimental results proved that the stego images created by the proposed approach achieved higher security against statistical and visual steganalysis techniques than the previous methods. The improvement of the security against detection by Ensemble Classifier is four times as secure as the best security performance of the existing methods.

     

A survey of interpolation-based reversible data hiding methods

It is called as a reversible data hiding method when the cover object can be restored together with extracting the secret data at a receiver. In reversible data hiding, interpolation-based data hiding methods are recently proposed, where image interpolation techniques are used before embedding the secret data. In this paper, reversible data hiding methods using interpolation techniques are described and analyzed on the embedding capacity and the visual image quality that many researchers have tried to improve these different measurements. It is concluded with the directions of research with some recommendations.     

An ASCII based effective and multi-operation image encryption method

The main challenge for American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) based image encryption methods is to increase security with less computational cost. Earlier, well known image encryption techniques are not only deficient in performance but also lacked in embedding of confidential data in an image using ASCII based methods. Therefore, this study aims to contribute an ASCII based efficient and secure image encryption method having additional feature of embedding confidential data in an image. Moreover, the embedding process is not static but it is dynamic as compared to the existing work. The novelty of proposed method encompasses optimal security, effective encryption speed and randomized embedding of secret data in an image even of having multi-operations. The proposed method was evaluated experimentally with variety of tests such as Pixel correlation analysis, Number of Pixels Change Rate (NPCR), Unified Average Changing Intensity (UACI), Histogram, Entropy, Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), and Mean Square Error (MSE) including encryption decryption time. Thus the experimental results show that the proposed method is optimally secure and outperformed in image encryption as well as in randomized embedding of confidential data than the existing techniques.

     

Data hiding in scrambled images: A new double layer security data hiding technique

The contemporary multimedia and communication technology has made it possible to replicate and distribute digital media easier and faster. This ease of availability causes the problem of exposing transmitted digital data on the network with the risk of being copied or intercepted illegally. Many cryptographic techniques are in vogue to encrypt the data before transmission to avert any security problems. However, disguised appearance of the encrypted data makes the adversary suspicious and increases the chances of malicious attack. In such a scenario data hiding has received significant attention as an alternate way to ensure data security. This paper presents a data hiding technique based on the concepts of scrambling and pseudorandom data hiding; to provide a data hiding system with two layer security to the embedded data, and good perceptual transparency of the stego images. The proposed system uses the novel concept of embedding the secret data in scrambled (encrypted) cover images. The data embedding is carried out in the Intermediate Significant and least significant bit planes of encrypted image at the predetermined locations pointed to by Pseudorandom Address Space (PAS) and Address Space Direction Pointer (ASDP). Experimental results prove the efficacy of scheme viz-a-viz various parameters of interest.     

全体变长编码映射的JPEG可逆信息隐藏

目的 JPEG(joint photographic experts group)作为一种广泛使用的图像格式,对其进行可逆信息隐藏有实际应用价值。大多数以JPEG图像为载体的可逆信息隐藏方案会导致图像质量降低和文件膨胀。由于在JPEG比特流中,并没有使用较多的变长编码(variable-length code, VLC),因此以未使用的VLC替换已使用的VLC可以实现秘密信息的无损嵌入,但这类方法的嵌入容量有限,且会导致文件膨胀。为了实现更大的嵌入容量并更好地控制文件膨胀,本文提出了新的全体VLC映射方案。方法 首先,重排序原始比特流中的行程长度/幅值大小(run/size value, RSV),获得去除编码冗余的载体;然后,引入中间VLC的概念,根据VLC频数分布,确定使文件膨胀大小相对于嵌入载荷最小的最优中间VLC映射模型;接着,通过计算模拟嵌入下的文件膨胀大小,确定构建最优中间VLC映射所需的嵌入VLC和中间VLC集合;最后,根据最优中间VLC映射关系修改定义哈夫曼表和JPEG比特流实现秘密信息的嵌入。结果 实验在USC-SIPI数据库上与基于DCT(discrete cosi...     

Hybrid wet paper coding mechanism for steganography employing n-indicator and fuzzy edge detector

Data hiding technique can facilitate security and the safe transmission of important information in the digital domain, which generally requires a high embedding payload and good stego image quality. Recently, a steganographic framework known as wet paper coding has been utilized as an effective strategy in image hiding to achieve the requirements of high embedding payload, good quality and robust security. In this paper, besides employing this mechanism as a fundamental stage, we take advantage of two novel techniques, namely, an efficient n-indicator and a fuzzy edge detector. The first is to increase the robustness of the proposed system to guard against being detected or traced by the statistics methods while allowing the receiver without knowledge of secret data positions to retrieve the embedded information. The second is to improve the payload and enhance the quality of stego image. The experimental results show that our proposed scheme outperforms its ability to reduce the conflict among three steganography requirements.     

Secure video communication using firefly optimization and visual cryptography

In recent years, we face an increasing interest in protecting multimedia data and copyrights due to the high exchange of information. Attackers are trying to get confidential information from various sources, which brings the importance of securing the data. Many researchers implemented techniques to hide secret information to maintain the integrity and privacy of data. In order to protect confidential data, histogram-based reversible data hiding with other cryptographic algorithms are widely used. Therefore, in the proposed work, a robust method for securing digital video is suggested. We implemented histogram bit shifting based reversible data hiding by embedding the encrypted watermark in featured video frames. Histogram bit shifting is used for hiding highly secured watermarks so that security for the watermark symbol is also being achieved. The novelty of the work is that only based on the quality threshold a few unique frames are selected, which holds the encrypted watermark symbol. The optimal value for this threshold is obtained using the Firefly Algorithm. The proposed method is capable of hiding high-capacity data in the video signal. The experimental result shows the higher capacity and video quality compared to other reversible data hiding techniques. The recovered watermark provides better identity identification against various attacks. A high value of PSNR and a low value of BER and MSE is reported from the results.

     

彩色图像信息密写新方法

为实现彩色图像中的安全隐写,首先通过混沌映射算法将图像去相关处理,再经过离散正弦变换, 提出以彩色图像为载体的安全隐写方法,应用二值图像信息嵌入技术,将隐蔽信息隐藏在颜色分量的较高层位面中,可实现优良的隐蔽性和较大的嵌入量。所使用的二值图像数据隐藏方案包括一组完备的规则,能够准确判断边缘像素是否可承载嵌入数据,保证嵌入数据的无差错盲提取,并可引入密钥以增强安全性。实验表明,在彩色图像中数据嵌入量达到每像素1.5 b时视觉不可察觉,峰值信噪比保持在40 dB以上,直方图无异常,并能抵御多种有效的隐写分析算法,兼顾了隐蔽信息容量和安全性。同时,解决了含密图像进行压缩或作任何有损的格式变换、数据嵌入、信息提取、抵御隐写分析算法难题。     

Reversible steganography based on side match and hit pattern for VQ-compressed images

Data hiding is an important technique in multimedia security. Multimedia data hiding techniques enable message senders to disguise secret data by embedding them into cover media. Thus, delivering secret messages is as easy as sending the cover media. Recently, many researchers have studied reversible data hiding for images. Those methods can reconstruct the original cover image and extract the embedded secret data from a stego-image. This study proposes a novel reversible steganographic method of embedding secret data into a vector quantization (VQ) compressed image by applying the concept of side match. The proposed method uses extra information, namely the hit pattern, to achieve reversibility. Moreover, its small hit pattern enables the embedding of the entire hit pattern along with the secret data in most cases. To optimize visual quality of the output stego-image, the method applies the concept of partitioned codebooks (state codebooks). The partition operation on the codebook uses a look-up table to minimize embedding and extraction time. We also propose the use of diagonal seed blocks to embed the entire hit pattern into the cover image without producing any extra control messages. Compared to the Chang and Lin method, the experimental results show that the proposed method has higher capacity, better visual quality, and shorter execution time.     

Huffman-code strategies to improve MFCVQ-based reversible data hiding for VQ indexes

Data hiding, which embeds secret data into cover media, is one type of technology used to achieve the multimedia security. A reversible data hiding method has the characteristic that the cover media can be completely reconstructed after secret data are extracted. Recently, some reversible data hiding schemes have focused on the vector quantization (VQ)-compressed format. Using the modified fast correlation vector quantization (MFCVQ) concept, Lu et al. proposed a reversible data hiding scheme for VQ-index tables. In this paper, a new MFCVQ-based scheme is proposed. Specifically, our method will enlarge the embedding capacities by embedding multiple bits into a VQ index, thereby reducing the compressed bit rates by applying the Huffman-code concept and the 0-centered classification. Experimental results indicate that this method has greater pure embedding capacities and fewer compressed bit rates than that of previous MFCVQ-based methods.     

A reversible data hiding scheme based on the Sudoku technique

Data hiding, also known as information hiding, plays an important role in information security for various purposes. Reversible data hiding is a technique that allows distortion-free recovery of both the cover image and the secret information. In this paper, we propose a new, reversible data hiding scheme that is based on the Sudoku technique and can achieve higher embedding capacity. The proposed scheme allows embedding more secret bits into a pair of pixels while guaranteeing the good quality of the stego-image. The experimental results showed that the proposed scheme obtained higher embedding capacity than some other previous schemes. In addition, our proposed scheme maintained the good visual quality of the stego-image (i.e., PSNR > 46 dB), which outperforms some existing schemes.     

基于内容的多模态可逆密写方法

为了提高生物认证信息在网络传输过程中的安全性,提出一种基于内容相关性分析的多模态双重可逆密写 方法。与现存大多数方法不同,为了充分利用载体图像丰富的内容和提高方法的隐藏性能,首先采用最小二乘回归方 法分析掌纹图像与人脸图像之间的内容相关性,即用人脸图像表示掌纹图像,未被表示的部分掌纹图像被嵌入到相应 的人脸图像中,另外,重构系数作为密钥存储;然后,为了不引起攻击者的注意,将得到的含密人脸图像嵌入到随机选 取的自然载体图像中;最后,将得到含有掌纹信息和人脸信息的含密图像进行传输。提出的方法实现了生物认证信息 的双重可逆信息隐藏,而且哈希函数和密钥的使用提高了该方法的安全性。大量实验结果表明该,方法具有很好的安 全性、不可见性和很高的嵌入容量。特别地,采用双重隐藏机制进一步增强了生物认证信息的安全性,确保了多模态 生物认证的有效性。