PSO–Blockchain-based image steganography: towards a new method to secure updating and sharing COVID-19 data in decentralised hospitals intelligence architecture

Abstract

Secure updating and sharing for large amounts of healthcare information (such as medical data on coronavirus disease 2019 ) in efficient and secure transmission are important but challenging in communication channels amongst hospitals. In particular, in addressing the above challenges, two issues are faced, namely, those related to confidentiality and integrity of their health data and to network failure that may cause concerns about data availability. To the authors' knowledge, no study provides secure updating and sharing solution for large amounts of healthcare information in communication channels amongst hospitals. Therefore, this study proposes and discusses a novel steganographybased blockchain method in the spatial domain as a solution. The novelty of the proposed method is the removal and addition of new particles in the particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm. In addition, hash function can hide secret medical COVID-19 data in hospital databases whilst providing confidentiality with high embedding capacity and high image quality. Moreover, stego images with hash data and blockchain technology are used in updating and sharing medical COVID-19 data between hospitals in the network to improve the level of confidentiality and protect the integrity of medical COVID-19 data in grey-scale images, achieve data availability if any connection failure occurs in a single point of the network and eliminate the central point (third party) in the network during transmission. The proposed method is discussed in three stages. Firstly, the pre-hiding stage estimates the embedding capacity of each host image. Secondly, the secret COVID-19 data hiding stage uses PSO algorithm and hash function. Thirdly, the transmission stage transfers the stego images based on blockchain technology and updates all nodes (hospitals) in the network. As proof of concept for the case study, the authors adopted the latest COVID-19 research published in the Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine journal, which presents a rescue framework within hospitals for the storage and transfusion of the best convalescent plasma to the most critical patients with COVID-19 on the basis of biological requirements. The validation and evaluation of the proposed method are discussed.

Integration of fuzzy-weighted zero-inconsistency and fuzzy decision by opinion score methods under a q-rung orthopair environment: A distribution case study of COVID-19 vaccine doses

“…The current phase discusses a case study of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Countries worldwide faced the greatest challenge last year brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the need for a vaccine has become more important than ever [75] , [76] , [77] , [78] , [79] , [80] , [81] , [82] . The fair allocation of COVID-19 vaccine distribution is encouraged by the World Health Organisation, and public health benefits must be maximized in order that health products are available and accessible to those in need [83] .…”

Fuzzy Guided Autonomous Nursing Robot through Wireless Beacon Network

“…Then, the robot could navigate the map of the environment and locations of other robots through the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) method [15] to circulate the disease information of the patient in a secured setting. A path planning could be set up for the robot to take the patient to the emergency room, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic [28]. Interactive environment could be detected by the virtual reality and augmented reality in the robot so as it could enhance further actions responding to the environment.…”

A Novel and Robust Hybrid Blockchain and Steganography Scheme

“…Mohsin et al [23] proposed minor changes to the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to protect and transmit COVID19 data through blockchain technology securely. The algorithm used more than one cover -image.…”

“…In the study proposed by Mohsin et al [23], COVID19 data, including high-resolution images, are transmitted over the blockchain system. Unlike this system, where the blockchain system is burdened with storing high volumes of data, the OTA algorithm transmits only an encrypted address array using only 1 KB data, with only indictors of the actual data, not the actual data itself.…”