545 research outputs found
JPEG steganography: A performance evaluation of quantization tables
The two most important aspects of any image based steganographic system are the imperceptibility and the capacity of the stego image. This paper evaluates the performance and efficiency of using optimized quantization tables instead of default JPEG tables within JPEG steganography. We found that using optimized tables significantly improves the quality of stego-images. Moreover, we used this optimization strategy to generate a 16x16 quantization table to be used instead of that suggested. The quality of stego-images was greatly improved when these optimized tables were used. This led us to suggest a new hybrid steganographic method in order to increase the embedding capacity. This new method is based on both and Jpeg-Jsteg methods. In this method, for each 16x16 quantized DCT block, the least two significant bits (2-LSBs) of each middle frequency coefficient are modified to embed two secret bits. Additionally, the Jpeg-Jsteg embedding technique is used for the low frequency DCT coefficients without modifying the DC coefficient. Our experimental results show that the proposed approach can provide a higher information-hiding capacity than the other methods tested. Furthermore, the quality of the produced stego-images is better than that of other methods which use the default tables
A novel steganography approach for audio files
We present a novel robust and secure steganography technique to hide images into audio files aiming at increasing the carrier medium capacity. The audio files are in the standard WAV format, which is based on the LSB algorithm while images are compressed by the GMPR technique which is based on the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and high frequency minimization encoding algorithm. The method involves compression-encryption of an image file by the GMPR technique followed by hiding it into audio data by appropriate bit substitution. The maximum number of bits without significant effect on audio signal for LSB audio steganography is 6 LSBs. The encrypted image bits are hidden into variable and multiple LSB layers in the proposed method. Experimental results from observed listening tests show that there is no significant difference between the stego audio reconstructed from the novel technique and the original signal. A performance evaluation has been carried out according to quality measurement criteria of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR)
Universal Image Steganalytic Method
In the paper we introduce a new universal steganalytic method in JPEG file format that is detecting well-known and also newly developed steganographic methods. The steganalytic model is trained by MHF-DZ steganographic algorithm previously designed by the same authors. The calibration technique with the Feature Based Steganalysis (FBS) was employed in order to identify statistical changes caused by embedding a secret data into original image. The steganalyzer concept utilizes Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification for training a model that is later used by the same steganalyzer in order to identify between a clean (cover) and steganographic image. The aim of the paper was to analyze the variety in accuracy of detection results (ACR) while detecting testing steganographic algorithms as F5, Outguess, Model Based Steganography without deblocking, JP Hide&Seek which represent the generally used steganographic tools. The comparison of four feature vectors with different lengths FBS (22), FBS (66) FBS(274) and FBS(285) shows promising results of proposed universal steganalytic method comparing to binary methods
Recommended from our members
Steganography-based secret and reliable communications: Improving steganographic capacity and imperceptibility
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Unlike encryption, steganography hides the very existence of secret information rather than hiding its meaning only. Image based steganography is the most common system used since digital images are widely used over the Internet and Web. However, the capacity is mostly limited and restricted by the size of cover images. In addition, there is a tradeoff between both steganographic capacity and stego image quality. Therefore, increasing steganographic capacity and enhancing stego image quality are still challenges, and this is exactly our research main aim. Related to this, we also investigate hiding secret information in communication protocols, namely Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message, rather than in conventional digital files.
To get a high steganographic capacity, two novel steganography methods were proposed. The first method was based on using 16x16 non-overlapping blocks and quantisation table for Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression instead of 8x8. Then, the quality of JPEG stego images was enhanced by using optimised quantisation tables instead of the default tables. The second method, the hybrid method, was based on using optimised quantisation tables and two hiding techniques: JSteg along with our first proposed method. To increase the
steganographic capacity, the impact of hiding data within image chrominance was
investigated and explained. Since peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) is extensively
used as a quality measure of stego images, the reliability of PSNR for stego images was also evaluated in the work described in this thesis. Finally, to eliminate any detectable traces that traditional steganography may leave in stego files, a novel and undetectable steganography method based on SOAP messages was proposed.
All methods proposed have been empirically validated as to indicate their utility
and value. The results revealed that our methods and suggestions improved the main aspects of image steganography. Nevertheless, PSNR was found not to be a
reliable quality evaluation measure to be used with stego image. On the other hand, information hiding in SOAP messages represented a distinctive way for undetectable and secret communication.The Ministry of Higher Education in Syria
and the University of Alepp
Steganographer Identification
Conventional steganalysis detects the presence of steganography within single
objects. In the real-world, we may face a complex scenario that one or some of
multiple users called actors are guilty of using steganography, which is
typically defined as the Steganographer Identification Problem (SIP). One might
use the conventional steganalysis algorithms to separate stego objects from
cover objects and then identify the guilty actors. However, the guilty actors
may be lost due to a number of false alarms. To deal with the SIP, most of the
state-of-the-arts use unsupervised learning based approaches. In their
solutions, each actor holds multiple digital objects, from which a set of
feature vectors can be extracted. The well-defined distances between these
feature sets are determined to measure the similarity between the corresponding
actors. By applying clustering or outlier detection, the most suspicious
actor(s) will be judged as the steganographer(s). Though the SIP needs further
study, the existing works have good ability to identify the steganographer(s)
when non-adaptive steganographic embedding was applied. In this chapter, we
will present foundational concepts and review advanced methodologies in SIP.
This chapter is self-contained and intended as a tutorial introducing the SIP
in the context of media steganography.Comment: A tutorial with 30 page
- âŚ