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On the predictability in reversible steganography

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Abstract

Artificial neural networks have advanced the frontiers of reversible steganography. The core strength of neural networks is the ability to render accurate predictions for a bewildering variety of data. Residual modulation is recognised as the most advanced reversible steganographic algorithm for digital images. The pivot of this algorithm is predictive analytics in which pixel intensities are predicted given some pixel-wise contextual information. This task can be perceived as a low-level vision problem and hence neural networks for addressing a similar class of problems can be deployed. On top of the prior art, this paper investigates predictability of pixel intensities based on supervised and unsupervised learning frameworks. Predictability analysis enables adaptive data embedding, which in turn leads to a better trade-off between capacity and imperceptibility. While conventional methods estimate predictability by the statistics of local image patterns, learning-based frameworks consider further the degree to which correct predictions can be made by a designated predictor. Not only should the image patterns be taken into account but also the predictor in use. Experimental results show that steganographic performance can be significantly improved by incorporating the learning-based predictability analysers into a reversible steganographic system.

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Funding

This work was partially supported by KAKENHI Grants (JP16H06302, JP18H04120, JP20K23355, JP21H04907 and JP21K18023) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and CREST Grants (JPMJCR18A6 and JPMJCR20D3) from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan

    Ching-Chun Chang & Isao Echizen

  2. Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Xu Wang & Sisheng Chen

  3. School of Information Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, China

    Xu Wang

  4. School of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fuzhou, China

    Sisheng Chen

  5. Department of Computer Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan

    Hitoshi Kiya

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  1. Ching-Chun Chang
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Correspondence to Ching-Chun Chang.

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Chang, CC., Wang, X., Chen, S. et al. On the predictability in reversible steganography. Telecommun Syst 82, 301–313 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11235-022-00985-0

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