A Modulo Function-Based Robust Asymmetric Variable Data Hiding Using DCT

Abstract

This work presents a new asymmetric data hiding technique that hides a variable number of secret message bits in the discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients of a cover image using a modular distance technique. Prior to data hiding, the proposed framework transforms a cover image from a spatial domain to various frequency coefficients using DCT. The DCT coefficients are arranged in two groups: one with low-frequency coefficient, and the other with the medium and high-frequency coefficients. The medium and higher frequency coefficients are processed for variable data hiding asymmetrically. The proposed technique hides variable sets of secret information bits in different coefficients. The variation in hidden secret information is maintained using a key developed based on the modulo of distance of a coefficient from the reference point. The same key is also used to retrieve the confidential information at the receiver ends. The results reveal that the presented framework does not create any visually significant distortion, and thus the hidden information does not attract the human visual system (HVS). The technique also results in high data hiding efficiency.

A crypto-steganography scheme for IoT applications based on bit interchange and crypto-system

“…The main process of the Huffman algorithm depends on reducing frequent letters and giving them priority codes or short paths in a Huffman tree. Khan et al [13] illustrate strategies for reducing text frequency (redundancy) through HC.…”

“…The steganography technique has been applied in the field of medical diagnoses [8], military and defense [9], [10], multimedia biometric data security [11], and cloud computing [12]. On the next page, Figure 1 exposes the fundamental issues and difficulties concerning the performance of the existing steganography schemes related to the payload capacity, imperceptibility, and security [12], [13].…”

“…In an image steganography system, "security" is the vital characteristic that needs proper performance evaluation. Security refers to the "un-detectability" or "un-noticeability" of the steganography system [13]. Thus, any steganography method is considered to be secured if the secret data remains undetectable by the statistical analysis or removal after being detected by the attacker.…”

“…Thus, any steganography method is considered to be secured if the secret data remains undetectable by the statistical analysis or removal after being detected by the attacker. Generally, the steganography methods may suffer from various types of steganalysis detection attacks wherein the intruders try to detect the existence or even to retrieve the secret data embedded in the stego image [13], [24]. To address this issue, a steganography system based on the Pixel Difference-based text encryption and random pixel section was proposed to protect the stego message during transmission [25].…”

“…However, these methods can be statistically analyzed, which facilitates the decoding of the secret text [24]. Consequently, existing steganography systems still suffer from several types of attacks and need further enhancement [13].…”