Abstract
A new optical steganography scheme is proposed that transmits a stealth optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) signal through a public binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) channel. Polarization beam splitters and arrayed waveguide gratings are used to implement a spectral-polarization coding (SPC) system with an incoherent optical source. We employ a Walsh–Hadamard code as the signature code of the user who wants to transmit stealth information using the system. A free space optical link applied to this system maintains the polarization states of light during propagation. The secret data are extracted using correlation detection and balanced subtraction in the OCDMA decoder of the intended receiver, and the other signal from the public channel is reduced by the OCDMA decoder. At the demodulator of the public channel, BPSK demodulation eliminates the stealth signal so that the public channel is not affected by the stealth signal. The two signals cannot interfere with each other. The results of this study show that our proposed optical steganography system is highly secure. The stealth signal can be favorably hidden in the public channel when the average source power of the stealth signal, public noise, and public signal are −5, −3, and 0 dBm, respectively.
Highlights
With the increasing application of computers in different areas of life and work, information security has become an important concern
The present study is preliminary research investigating the probability of applying other types of optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) in optical steganography
We have proposed a novel optical steganography transmission technique that conceals spectral-polarization coding (SPC)-OCDMA signals in a public binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) channel
Summary
With the increasing application of computers in different areas of life and work, information security has become an important concern. The main goal of steganography is to hide information sufficiently well such that any unintended recipients do not suspect that the steganographic medium contains hidden data [7] This is a major distinction between steganography and the other methods of improving security. New research into methods for secure communication over existing public fiber-optic networks has been conducted. Using a concept similar to steganography, the secure signal is processed by a particular technique called optical steganography and can be hidden under the noise floor of a public network. Optical steganography is realized by transmitting a private signal hidden in the existing public channel to increase the secrecy of the communication system. Kravtsov (2007) proposed a method of secure stealth transmission over a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) network [14]. The Theories and Principles Background of the Proposed Stealth Communication Approach
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