Multiple Information Hiding using Cubical Approach on Random Grids

Abstract

The exponential growth of data and our dependence on it has increased security concerns over the protection of data. Various methodologies have been suggested to meet the security services namely; confidentiality, authentication and authorization. The (k:n) secret sharing scheme was recommended to isolate the dependence on a single entity for the safety of data. Random Grids Visual Secret Sharing (RGVSS), a category of a Visual Cryptography Secret Sharing scheme aims at encrypting a secret image into several shares using a simple algorithm. The encrypted information can be revealed by stacking the shares which can be recognized by the Human Visual System (HVS). The proposed VSS scheme exploits the geometrical configuration of the cube without distorting any of the secret information embedded on the shares. The rest of the secrets are decrypted by stacking the cubes and changing the orientation of one of the cube over the fixed one. Each side of the cube encrypts up to four secrets, the first secret can be decrypted by stacking the two cubical shares and rotating the stacked face of the cube at 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees, reveals the other three shares respectively The proposed scheme increases the capacity of secret communication avoiding the pixel expansion problem which in turn reduces the overhead of storage and communication significantly without compromising on security and authenticity of the secret information.

Secure Image Encryption based on a Cube

“…Chen [4][5][6][7] proposed a method to encrypt multiple secrets, wherein the secret images can be decrypted by stacking the two shares and then rotating one of the share while keeping the other share fixed at one position. This scheme has a limitation that a maximum of four secrets can be hidden because of the rectangular shape of random grids.…”

“…The transition of circular to spherical grids [5], and the cubical representation [6] of the shares increase data security and the carrying capacity of the shadows.…”