Abstract
With the rapid development of the Internet, large amounts of data are being transferred globally. As data are becoming increasingly valuable, securing the communicated information is a major concern. In data hiding, the secret data are concealed in a cover medium, which does not reveal the presence of the secret data. The least-significant-bit (LSB) substitution method is a popular data hiding scheme due to its high payload embedding capacity and low distortion. Several studies have achieved a high payload embedding capacity by combining the LSB substitution method with other techniques. A few studies employed an edge detection technique based on the sensitivity of the human visual system to embed the secret bits stored in the edge pixels. However, problems associated with the storage of edge information tend to reduce the embedding capacity. To increase the embedding capacity, a most-significant-bit (MSB) image with edge detection was employed in another study, wherein a fuzzy technique was applied to the edge matrix to increase the weak edge pixels. However, this approach did not ensure the generation of true edge pixels. In the meantime, a high payload reduces the quality of the stego-image. This study proposes a block-based data hiding scheme using a multi-encoding method. Compared to Bai et al.'s approach utilizing image features and fuzzy theory, the proposed method further improves performance by using block segmentation and optimization with multiple encodings. The experimental results show that this approach can enhance security at low cost and yield superior performance compared to Bai et al.'s method. After applying the proposed method, the payload has increased by an average of 396 bits, and the PSNR has increased by an average of 1.5286 dB compared to Bai et al.'s method.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.
References
Abdulla AA (2015) Exploiting similarities between secret and cover images for improved embedding efficiency and security in digital steganography. Doctoral thesis, University of Buckingham
Tuner L-F. Digital data security system. Patent IPN WO 89/08915 1989
Chan C-K, Cheng L (2004) Hiding data in images by simple LSB substitution. Pattern Recogn 37:469–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.patcog.2003.08.007
Jayant N, Johnston J, Safranek R (1993) Signal compression based on models of human perception. Proc IEEE 81:1385–1422. https://doi.org/10.1109/5.241504
Chou C-H (1994) A perceptually tuned subband image coder based on the measure of just-noticeable-distortion profile. Proceedings of 1994 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory. https://doi.org/10.1109/isit.1994.395035
Wei Z, Qin P, Fu Y (1998) Perceptual digital watermark of images using wavelet transform. IEEE Trans Consum Electron 44:1267–1272. https://doi.org/10.1109/30.735826
Kutter M, Winkler S (2002) A vision-based masking model for spread-spectrum image watermarking. IEEE Trans Image Process 11:16–25. https://doi.org/10.1109/83.977879
Wong P, Au O (2003) A capacity estimation technique for JPEG-to-JPEG image watermarking. IEEE Trans Circuits Syst Video Technol 13:746–752. https://doi.org/10.1109/tcsvt.2003.815949
Lu Z, Lin W, Yang X, Ong E, Yao S (2005) Modeling visual attention’s modulatory aftereffects on visual sensitivity and quality evaluation. IEEE Trans Image Process 14:1928–1942. https://doi.org/10.1109/tip.2005.854478
Liu K-C (2008) Just noticeable distortion model and its application in color image watermarking. 2008 IEEE International Conference on Signal Image Technology and Internet Based Systems. https://doi.org/10.1109/sitis.2008.67
Leng H-S, Tseng H-W (2016) High payload data hiding based on just noticeable distortion profile and LSB substitution. Advances in Intelligent Information Hiding and Multimedia Signal Processing Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies 59–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50209-0_8
Chen W-J, Chang C-C, Le THN (2010) High payload steganography mechanism using hybrid edge detector. Expert Syst Appl 37:3292–3301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2009.09.050
Tseng H-W, Leng H-S (2014) High-payload block-based data hiding scheme using hybrid edge detector with minimal distortion. IET Image Proc 8:647–654. https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-ipr.2013.0584
Bai J, Chang C-C, Nguyen T-S et al (2017) A high payload steganographic algorithm based on edge detection. Displays 46:42–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2016.12.004
Kaur K, Mutenja V, Gill IS (2010) Fuzzy logic based image edge detection algorithm in MATLAB. Int J Comput Appl 1:57–60. https://doi.org/10.5120/442-675
Setiadi DRIM, Jumanto J (2018) An enhanced LSB-image steganography using the hybrid Canny-Sobel edge detection. Cybern Inf Technol 18:74–88. https://doi.org/10.2478/cait-2018-0029
Parah SA, Sheikh JA, Akhoon JA et al (2016) Information hiding in edges: A high capacity information hiding technique using hybrid edge detection. Multimed Tools Appl 77:185–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-016-4253-x
Sangwan V, Sharma A, Kumar M, Singh A (2018) An improved high playload steganography mechanism using hybrid edge detector. 2018 2nd International Conference on Micro-Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (ICMETE). https://doi.org/10.1109/icmete.2018.00036
Lee C-F, Chang C-C, Xie X et al (2018) An adaptive high-fidelity steganographic scheme using edge detection and hybrid hamming codes. Displays 53:30–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.displa.2018.06.001
Gaurav K, Ghanekar U (2018) Image steganography based on Canny edge detection, dilation operator and hybrid coding. J Inf Secur Appl 41:41–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jisa.2018.05.001
Bhardwaj M, Singh L, Saini KK (2019) An efficient approach to information hiding through image steganography using edge detection. 2019 4th International Conference on Information Systems and Computer Networks (ISCON). https://doi.org/10.1109/iscon47742.2019.9036234
Dhargupta S, Chakraborty A, Ghosal SK et al (2019) Fuzzy edge detection based steganography using modified Gaussian distribution. Multimed Tools Appl 78:17589–17606. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-018-7123-x
Wang Y, Tang M, Wang Z (2020) High-capacity adaptive steganography based on LSB and Hamming code. Optik 213:164685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2020.164685
Zakaria A, Hussain M, Wahab A et al (2018) High-capacity image steganography with minimum modified bits based on data mapping and LSB substitution. Appl Sci 8:2199. https://doi.org/10.3390/app8112199
Tran D-N, Zepernick H-J, Chu TMC (2019) On LSB data hiding in high-definition images using morphological operations. 2019 19th International Symposium on Communications and Information Technologies (ISCIT). https://doi.org/10.1109/iscit.2019.8905158
Yusuf HS, Hagras H (2018) Towards image steganography using type-2 fuzzy logic and edge detection. 2018 10th Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CEEC). https://doi.org/10.1109/ceec.2018.8674225
Abdulla AA, Sellahewa H, Jassim SA (2019) Improving embedding efficiency for digital steganography by exploiting similarities between secret and cover images. Multimed Tools Appl 78(13):17799–17823. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-019-7166-7
Xie X-Z, Chang C-C, Hu YC (2020) An adaptive reversible data hiding scheme based on prediction error histogram shifting by exploiting signed-digit representation. Multimed Tools Appl 79:24329–24346
Swain G (2014) Digital image steganography using nine-pixel differencing and modified LSB substitution. Indian J Sci Technol 7:1444–1450. https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/2014/v7i9.27
Tsai P, Hu YC, Yeh HL (2009) Reversible image hiding scheme using predictive coding and histogram shifting. Signal Process 89(6):1129–1143
Lo CC, Hu YC (2014) A novel reversible image authentication scheme for digital images. Signal Process 98:174–185
Qin C, Hu YC (2016) Reversible data hiding in vq index table with lossless coding and adaptive switching mechanism. Signal Process 129:48–552016
Lin JY, Chen Y, Chang CC, Hu YC (2019) Dual-image-based reversible data hiding scheme with integrity verification based on exploiting modification direction. Multimed Tools Appl 78(18):25855–25872
Hu YC, Lin YH, Lo CC, Wu CM (2019) Implementation of block-based hierarchical prediction for developing an error-propagation-free reversible data hiding scheme. Symmetry 11(9):1146
Chuang JC, Hu YC, Chen CM, Lin YH, Chen Y (2019) Joint index coding and reversible data hiding for color image quantization. Multimed Tools Appl 79(24):35537–35558
Lin YH, Hu YC, Chen WL, Acharya B (2021) Reversible self-verifying and self-recovering technique for color image demosaicking. Multimed Tools Appl 80(16):24949–24968
Liao X, Yu Y, Li B et al (2020) A new payload partition strategy in color image steganography. IEEE Trans Circuits Syst Video Technol 30(3):685–696. https://doi.org/10.1109/tcsvt.2019.2896270
Tan J, Liao X, Liu J et al (2022) Channel attention image steganography with generative adversarial networks. IEEE Trans Netw Sci Eng 9(2):888–903. https://doi.org/10.1109/tnse.2021.3139671
Liao X, Yin J, Chen M, Qin Z (2021) Adaptive payload distribution in multiple images steganography based on image texture features. IEEE Trans Dependable Secure Comput 19(2):897–911. https://doi.org/10.1109/tdsc.2020.3004708
Mandal PC, Mukherjee I (2021) High Capacity Data hiding based on multi-directional pixel value differencing and decreased difference expansion. Multimed Tools Appl 81:5325–5347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-021-11605-5
Jung K-H (2017) Data hiding scheme improving embedding capacity using mixed PVD and LSB on bit plane. J Real-Time Image Proc 14:127–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11554-017-0719-y
Leng H-S, Lee J-F, Tseng H-W (2021) A high payload EMD-based steganographic method using two extraction functions. Digit Signal Process 113:103026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsp.2021.103026
Leng H-S, Tsai C-J, Wu T-J (2022) A multilayer steganographic method using improved exploiting modification directions scheme. IEEE Access 10:468–485. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2021.3136883
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Leng, HS., Hu, YC. & Tseng, HW. A high payload block-based data hiding scheme using multi-encoding methods. Multimed Tools Appl 83, 15939–15956 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-023-16888-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-023-16888-4