Hybrid Image Steganography Method with Random Embedding of Encrypted Message

The main challenge for embedding encrypted message in an input image is to get better the security of the confidential information through hybrid-based image steganography method. Moreover, earlier LSB based solutions existed in which either secret information embedded without encryption or embedded un-randomly in an image and existing MSB based information concealing solutions minimizes information capacity and image quality too. Most of existing steganographic systems either based on  LSB or  MSB but only some hybrid solutions are available in which either the confidential message is not encoded before embedding it into the image and the embedding system is also not random based.  The existing well known hybrid based image steganography techniques are not only deficient in performance but also deficient in embedding of encoded data in an image. To overcome these issues, a Hybrid-LSB-MSB based image steganography and multi-operation data encryption method is proposed in this article. Proposed method is not only randomly embeds the confidential information in a cover image but also provided the facility to encode the confidential information before substituting. The Hybrid-LSB-MSB based proposed image steganography method is compared with earlier Hybrid based image steganography method by using Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) values including payload capacity. Higher PSNR and Lower MSE values signify effective steganography quality. The experimental results show that proposed method retains higher PSNR and lesser MSE values as contrasted to the existing methods thereby effective in steganographic properties.   &nbsp

A review and open issues of multifarious image steganography techniques in spatial domain

Nowadays, information hiding is becoming a helpful technique and fetch more attention due fast growth of using internet, it is applied for sending secret information by using different techniques. Steganography is one of major important technique in information hiding. Steganography is science of concealing the secure information within a carrier object to provide the secure communication though the internet, so that no one can recognize and detect it’s except the sender & receiver. In steganography, many various carrier formats can be used such as an image, video, protocol, audio. The digital image is most popular used as a carrier file due its frequency on internet. There are many techniques variable for image steganography, each has own strong and weak points. In this study, we conducted a review of image steganography in spatial domain to explore the term image steganography by reviewing, collecting, synthesizing and analyze the challenges of different studies which related to this area published from 2014 to 2017. The aims of this review is provides an overview of image steganography and comparison between approved studies are discussed according to the pixel selection, payload capacity and embedding algorithm to open important research issues in the future works and obtain a robust method

Image security system using hybrid cryptosystem

This work presents and describes a novel method to hide messages in images in a hybrid manner, as steganography is combined with quantum cryptography. Through stimulating and implementing this hybrid approach, the least significant bit (LSB) substitution is employed for hiding secret messages within cover images that consist of three bands (Red, Green and Blue), after which the output is encrypted using quantum one-time pad encryption. The models are illustrated explicitly and tested. In addition, the test analysis uses a steganalysis tool called StegExpose to detect LSB steganography in images. The experimental results proved that the image hiding is reliably secure and undetectable, and hence the proposed new hybrid model provides a sufficient security level as well as we have tested the proposed system using robust state-of- the-art steganalysis techniques and found the low payload threshold maintained in the proposed system produces a high margin of communication security safety. No payload files were detected (0% detections), despite each file containing the entire content of the information as embedded text

Data hiding techniques in steganography using fibonacci sequence and knight tour algorithm

The foremost priority in the information and communication technology era, is achieving an efficient and accurate steganography system for hiding information. The developed system of hiding the secret message must capable of not giving any clue to the adversaries about the hidden data. In this regard, enhancing the security and capacity by maintaining the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) of the steganography system is the main issue to be addressed. This study proposed an improved for embedding secret message into an image. This newly developed method is demonstrated to increase the security and capacity to resolve the existing problems. A binary text image is used to represent the secret message instead of normal text. Three stages implementations are used to select the pixel before random embedding to select block of (64 × 64) pixels, follows by the Knight Tour algorithm to select sub-block of (8 × 8) pixels, and finally by the random pixels selection. For secret embedding, Fibonacci sequence is implemented to decomposition pixel from 8 bitplane to 12 bitplane. The proposed method is distributed over the entire image to maintain high level of security against any kind of attack. Gray images from the standard dataset (USC-SIPI) including Lena, Peppers, Baboon, and Cameraman are implemented for benchmarking. The results show good PSNR value with high capacity and these findings verified the worthiness of the proposed method. High complexities of pixels distribution and replacement of bits will ensure better security and robust imperceptibility compared to the existing systems in the literature

Hiding algorithm based fused images and Caesar cipher with intelligent security enhancement

The process of sending confidential data through the communication media and in complete secrecy is now necessary, whether the data is related to patients, a particular military operation, or a specified office. On the other hand, with the development of various ciphering algorithms, and information hiding algorithms, there is a need to obtain ciphered and hidden data securely without the need to exchange secret keys between the two ends of the communication. In this paper, a hiding algorithm based on fused images and Caesar cipher with intelligent methods to strengthen the security of confidential information is proposed. Firstly, fused image scattering is obtained using 1’s complement and circularly shifting the bits of fused pixels by specified positions before the hiding process. Secondly, the keys for the Caesar cipher are derived from the length of secret information according to the mathematical equation. Thirdly, strengthen the security of Caesar’s cipher by taking a 1’s complement of each letter in the cipher data. The results guarantee the security of the presented algorithm

An Adaptive Steganography Scheme Based on Visual Quality and Embedding Capacity Improvement

In this paper, a steganography technique using LSB substitution and PVD method is presented as an adaptive scheme in the spatial domain. Our method partitions the grayscale image into several non-overlapping blocks with three consecutive pixels. The embedding algorithm can both replace the secret data with the LSBs of the middle pixel and embed it in the difference values between the middle pixel and its two neighboring pixels of the cover-block. The number of secret bits is determined adaptively based on the range divisions for embedding in the difference value. We define a new range division on gray level which takes into account a larger embedding capacity for bits. After the embedding, the proposed method detects the pixels which are sensitive to hyper distortion. Then, the embedding process will be repeated to produce insignificant visual distortion in those pixels. Our experimental results demonstrate that this iterative steganography scheme prevents significant visual distortion into stego-image. The generated PSNR values are higher than the corresponding values of the most commonly used methods, discussed in this study. Furthermore, the experimental results show that the hiding capacity increased enormously when the proposed range division is used. Finally, we illustrate that the method can pass RS and steganalysis detector attacks.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v4i4.630