Multi-Layer Mini-Sudoku Based High-Capacity Data Hiding Method

Abstract

The main purpose of data hiding is to hide secret data imperceptibly into multimedia, ensuring secure data transmission. Existing magic matrix-based data hiding schemes cannot achieve satisfactory visual quality for a given low payload because they adopt a single-layer embedding (i.e., the fixed-sized reference matrix (RM) embedding), rather than adaptive multi-layer embedding (i.e., variable-sized RM embedding). To this end, we propose an adaptive data hiding scheme by constructing multi-layer RM using mini-Sudoku. Our scheme can adjust the number of layers (e.g., one, two, or more) of the RM to obtain the desired payload (i.e., low, moderate, or large payloads). In addition, our method also has the capability of obtaining the optimal number of layers of RM achieving the highest visual quality for a given payload. For each pixel pair, our scheme selects the optimal pair having the smallest Euclidean distance with this pair as its stego pair, resulting in a large decrease in distortion. Experimental results show that our proposed scheme can obtain various payloads, and more importantly, it can achieve better or comparable rate-distortion performance than several existing magic matrix-based data hiding schemes.

Secure high capacity tetris‐based scheme for data hiding

“…To further demonstrate the superior performance of our proposed Tetris‐based scheme, we compared the results provided by the proposed scheme with the results provided by other previous works [14, 16–21, 26–29, 37–39].…”

“…Secondly, the proposed scheme is also compared to the Sudoku‐based schemes [20, 21, 26–29], with respects to the EC, ER and image quality of the four test images. Those schemes are all designed on the concept of a puzzle game.…”

“…In addition, some research studies [20–29] have explored using the idea of a puzzle game to hide messages. In 2008, Chang et al [20] proposed a DH scheme based on a number placement puzzle game, i.e.…”

“…Furthermore, their scheme also achieves a PSNR of 47.48 dB when the ER is set to 1.5 bpp. To increase the EC of Sudoku‐based scheme, the single‐layer and multi‐layer mini‐Sudoku matrix‐based high capacity schemes were individually presented by He et al [27] and Chen et al [28]. Those two schemes inherit the idea of coordinate mapping used in scheme [14].…”

“…turtle shell (TS), were also developed to obtain a better balance between EC and stego‐image quality. To enhance the level in terms of security, some researches [20–29] have explored using the idea of a puzzle game to hide messages. The review of them [13–29] will be presented in Section 2.…”