Advanced Dual Reversible Data Hiding: A Focus on Modification Direction and Enhanced Least Significant Bit (LSB) Approaches

Abstract

In this study, we investigate advances in reversible data hiding (RDH), a critical area in the era of widespread digital data sharing. Recognizing the inherent vulnerabilities such as unauthorized access and data corruption during data transmission, we introduce an innovative dual approach to RDH. We use the EMD (Exploiting Modification Direction) method along with an optimized LSB (Least Significant Bit) replacement strategy. This dual method, applied to grayscale images, has been carefully developed to improve data hiding by focusing on modifying pixel pairs. Our approach sets new standards for achieving a balance between high data embedding rates and the integrity of visual quality. The EMD method ensures that each secret digit in a 5-ary notational system is hidden by 2 cover pixels. Meanwhile, our LSB strategy finely adjusts the pixels selected by EMD to minimize data errors. Despite its simplicity, this approach has been proven to outperform existing technologies. It offers a high embedding rate (ER) while maintaining the high visual quality of the stego images. Moreover, it significantly improves data hiding capacity. This enables the full recovery of the original image without increasing file size or adding unnecessary data, marking a significant breakthrough in data security.