StegoBound: A Novel Image Steganography Technique Using Boundary-Based LSB Substitution
Abstract
The safe exchange of private information in the current web age is a significant security concern that has come around after developing steganography as a piece of conspicuous information concealing strategy. Steganography methods guarantee secure information by hiding the transmission channel and are described using three key boundaries: specific strength, implanting limit, and intangibility. The cutting-edge steganography strategies anyway neglect to accomplish an ideal compromise among the key steganographic factors. This research study describes a novel image steganography technique StegoBound based on gradient, which efficiently hides the secret message and produces excellent results for the essential steganographic characteristics. To produce top-notch stego-pictures, StegoBound shrouds the restricted information in the sixth, seventh, and eighth least significant bits (LSBs) of the boundary zone pixels in grayscale cover pictures. The nature of the stego-pictures is assessed through primary closeness file (SSIM), widespread picture quality file (UQI), mean square of error (MSE), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), mean qualities, and histogram investigation. The novel method's effectiveness evaluation is confirmed by calculating MSE, SSIM, PSNR, and UQI. Experimental results and comparative studies reveal that our proposed technique achieves state-of-the-art results in hiding the secret data by providing an optimal trade-off between imperceptibility, embedding capacity, and security.
Keywords: steganography, data hiding, LSB substitution, MSB, boundary.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
DULUTA A., MOCANU S., PIETRARU R., MEREZEANU D., and SARU D. Secure Communication Method Based on Encryption and Steganography. 2017 21st International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2017: 453-458. https://doi.org/10.1109/CSCS.2017.70
MISHRA R., & BHANODIYA P. A Review on Steganography and Cryptography. 2015 International Conference on Advances in Computer Engineering and Applications. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2015: 119-122. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICACEA.2015.7164679
CHALLITA K., & FARHAT H. Combining Steganography and Cryptography: New Directions. International Journal on New Computer Architectures and Their Applications, 2011, 1: 199-208. http://oaji.net/articles/2015/544-1430753335.pdf
SAJEDI H., & JAMZAD M. Cover Selection Steganography Method Based on Similarity of Image Blocks. 2008 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers 8th International Conference on Computer and Information Technology Workshops. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2008: 379-384. https://doi.org/10.1109/CIT.2008.Workshops.34
JOHNSON N. F., DURIC Z., and JAJODIA S. Information Hiding: Steganography and Watermarking-Attacks and Countermeasures. Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin, Germany, 2001. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4615-4375-6
BAILEY K., & CURRAN K. An Evaluation of Image Based Steganography methods. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 2006, 30: 55-88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-006-0008-4
WESTFELD A., & PFITZMANN A. Attacks on Steganographic Systems. International Workshop on Information Hiding, 1999: 61-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/10719724_5
CHANU Y. J., TUITHUNG T., and SINGH K. M. A Short Survey on Image Steganography and Steganalysis Techniques. 2012 3rd National Conference on Emerging Trends and Applications in Computer Science. Institute of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2012: 52-55. https://doi.org/10.1109/NCETACS.2012.6203297
KAUR S., BANSAL S., and BANSAL R. K. Steganography and Classification of Image Steganography Techniques. 2014 International Conference on Computing for Sustainable Global Development. Institute of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2014: 870-875. https://doi.org/10.1109/IndiaCom.2014.6828087
SHARMA A., PORIYE M., and KUMAR V. A Review of Image Steganography Techniques: Development Trends to Enhance Performance. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science, 2017, 8(5): 1852-1855. https://doi.org/10.26483/ijarcs.v8i5.3962
THANGADURAI K., & DEVI G. S. An Analysis of LSB Based Image Steganography Techniques. 2014 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2014: 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCCI.2014.6921751
SWAIN G., & LENKA S. K. A Hybrid Approach to Steganography Embedding at Darkest and Brightest Pixels. 2010 International Conference on Communication and Computational Intelligence. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2010: 529-534. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5738786
RACHAEL O., MISRA S., AHUJA R., ADEWUMI A., AYENI F., and MMASKELIUNAS R. Image Steganography and Steganalysis Based on Least Significant Bit (LSB). Proceedings of International Conference on Emerging Trends in Information Technology 2019. Springer, New-York, USA, 2020: 1100-1111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30577-2_97
GHAZANFARI K., GHAEMMAGHAMI S., and KHOSRAVI S. R. LSB++: an Improvement to LSB+ Steganography. 2011-2011 Instiute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Region 10 Conference. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2011: 364-368. https://doi.org/10.1109/TENCON.2011.6129126
JOSHI K., GILL S., and YADAV R. A New Method of Image Steganography Using 7th bit of a Pixel as Indicator by Introducing the Successive Temporary Pixel in the Gray Scale Image. Journal of Computer Networks and Communications, 2018, 2018: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9475142
SWAIN G. Digital Image Steganography Using Variable Length Group of Bits Substitution. Procedia Computer Science, 2016, 85: 31-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2016.05.173
HE J., TANG S., and WU T. An Adaptive Image Steganography Based on Depth-Varying Embedding. 2008 Congress on Image and Signal Processing. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2008: 660-663. https://doi.org/10.1109/CISP.2008.189
HLAING A. T., & THANT K. M. Color Image Steganography Using Cryptography and Magic LSB Substitution Method. 2018 Joint International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation. Mandalay Technological University, Mandalay, Myanmar, 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334646919_Color_Image_Steganography_using_Cryptography_and_Magic_LSB_Substitution_Method_M-LSB-SM
SWAIN G., & LENKA S. K. A Technique for Secret Communication Using a new Block Cipher with Dynamic Steganography. International Journal of Security and Its Applications, 2012, 6: 1-12. http://article.nadiapub.com/IJSIA/vol6_no4/2.pdf
SHARMA V. Two New Approaches for Image Steganography Using Cryptography. 2015 Third International Conference on Image Information Processing. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2015: 202-207. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIIP.2015.7414766
NILIZADEH A., and NILCHI A. R. N. A Novel Steganography Method Based on Matrix Pattern and LSB Algorithms in RGB Images. 2016 1st Conference on Swarm Intelligence and Evolutionary Computation. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2016: 154-159. https://doi.org/10.1109/CSIEC.2016.7482107
WU D.-C., & TSAI W.-H. A Steganographic Method for Images by Pixel-Value Differencing. Pattern Recognition Letters, 2003, 24: 1613-1626. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8655(02)00402-6
TSENG H.-W., & LENG H.-S. A Steganographic Method Based on Pixel-Value Differencing and the Perfect Square Number. Journal of Applied Mathematics, 2013, 2013: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/189706
CHANG C.-C., & TSENG H.-W. A Steganographic Method for Digital Images Using Side Match. Pattern Recognition Letters, 2004, 25: 1431-1437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patrec.2004.05.006
SWAIN G., & LENKA S. K. Steganography Using Two Sided, Three Sided, and Four Sided Side Match Methods. Computer Society of India Transactions on Information and Communication Technology, 2013, 1: 127-133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40012-013-0015-3
MAHJABIN T., HOSSAIN S. M., and HAQUE M. S. A Block Based Data Hiding Method in Images Using Pixel Value Differencing and LSB Substitution Method. 2012 15th International Conference on Computer and Information Technology. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2012: 168-172. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCITECHN.2012.6509770
BASSIL Y. Image Steganography Based on a Parameterized Canny Edge Detection Algorithm. International Journal of Computer Applications, 2012, 60(4): 35-40. https://doi.org/10.5120/9682-4112
JUNEJA M., & SANDHU P. S. An Improved LSB Based Steganography Technique for RGB Color Images. International Journal of Computer and Communication Engineering, 2013, 2: 513. http://www.ijcce.org/papers/238-W1028.pdf
KAUR A., & KAUR S. Image Steganography Based on Hybrid Edge Detection and 2k Correction Method. International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology, 2012, 1: 167-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4897776
JOIS A., & TEJASWINI L. Survey on LSB Data Hiding Techniques. 2016 International Conference on Wireless Communications, Signal Processing and Networking. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2016: 656-660. https://doi.org/10.1109/WiSPNET.2016.7566214
ASHWIN S., RAMESH J., KUMAR S. A., and GUNAVATHI K. Novel and Secure Encoding and Hiding Techniques Using Image Steganography: A Survey. 2012 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Electrical Engineering and Energy Management. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2012: 171-177. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICETEEEM.2012.6494463
GARG M. R. Comparison Of LSB & MSB Based Steganography In Gray-Scale Images. International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, 2012, 1(8): 1-6. https://www.ijert.org/research/comparison-of-lsb-msb-based-steganography-in-gray-scale-images-IJERTV1IS8630.pdf
SATHISHA N., MADHUSUDAN G., BHARATHESH S., BABU K. S., RAJA K., and VENUGOPAL K. Chaos Based Spatial Domain Steganography Using MSB. 2010 5th International Conference on Industrial and Information Systems. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2010: 177-182. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIINFS.2010.5578711
YALMAN Y., AKAR F., and ERTURK I. An Image Interpolation Based Reversible Data Hiding Method Using R-Weighted Coding. 2010 13th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering International Conference on Computational Science and Engineering. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2010: 346-350. https://doi.org/10.1109/CSE.2010.52
MANDAL J., & DAS D. Colour Image Steganography Based on Pixel Value Differencing in Spatial Domain. International Journal of Information Sciences and Techniques, 2012, 2: 17-24. https://doi.org/10.5121/IJIST.2012.2408
GUPTA P. K., ROY R., and CHANGDER S. A Secure Image Steganography Technique with Moderately Higher Significant Bit Embedding. 2014 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics. Institute Of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2014: 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICCCI.2014.6921726
ISLAM A. U., KHALID F., SHAH M., KHAN Z., MAHMOOD T., KHAN A., MAHMOOD T., KHAN A., ALI U., and NAEEM M. An Improved Image Steganography Technique Based on MSB Using Bit Differencing. 2016 Sixth International Conference on Innovative Computing Technology. Institute of Electrical And Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2016: 265-269. https://doi.org/10.1109/INTECH.2016.7845020
PUTEAUX P., TRINEL D., and PUECH W. High-Capacity Data Hiding in Encrypted Images Using MSB Prediction. 2016 Sixth International Conference on Image Processing Theory, Tools and Applications. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, USA, 2016: 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/IPTA.2016.7820991
AHMED S., JAFFARI R., and THEBO L. A. Data Hiding Using Green Channel as Pixel Value Indicator. International Journal of Image Processing, 2018, 12: 90-100. https://www.cscjournals.org/manuscript/Journals/IJIP/Volume12/Issue3/IJIP-1169.pdf
SHARMA A., PORIYE M., and KUMAR V. A Secure Steganography Technique Using MSB. International Journal of Emerging Research in Management and Technology, 2017, 6: 208-214. https://doi.org/10.23956/ijermt.v6i6.270
AKINOLA S. O., & OLATIDOYE A. A. On the Image Quality and Encoding Times of LSB, MSB and Combined LSB-MSB Steganography Algorithms Using Digital Images. International Journal of Computer Science & Information Technology, 2015, 7: 79-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.5121/ijcsit.2015.7407
DHANNOON B. N. An Indirect MSB Data Hiding Technique. Life Science Journal, 2013, 10: 263-266. http://www.lifesciencesite.com/lsj/life1011s/046_21081life1011s_263_266.pdf
KUMAR M. A., & KAHAR M. Variant of LSB Steganography Algorithm for Hiding Information in RGB Images. International Journal of Signal Processing, Image Processing and Pattern Recognition, 2017, 10(1): 35-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/ijsip.2017.10.1.05
JAFFARI R., HASHMANI M. A., TAIB H., ABDULLAH N., and RIZVI S. S. H. A Novel Image-Based Framework for Process Monitoring and Fault Diagnosis of Mooring Lines. Journal of Hunan University Natural Sciences, 2020, 47(10): 100-114. http://jonuns.com/index.php/journal/article/view/453
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
