Protection-Enhanced Watermarking Scheme Combined With Non-Linear Systems

Abstract

Communication of the images over the network calls for an approach to ensure security and ownership protection while exchanging images over the network. This paper proposes an improved blind watermarking scheme capable of offering image authentication, protection, and detachment avoidance between the watermark and its corresponding image. The proposed technique is composed of three modules; generator, protector, and resizer. The generator deals with embedding and extracting the watermark from the host image. Protector deals with encryption and decryption using a high dimensional chaotic system. And resizer deals with compressing and decompressing the watermarked image. The novelty related scientific literature is the encryption of Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) components, and watermark in a criss-cross manner using logistic map along with hyperchaotic system to achieve the confidentiality and avoid false positive problem (FPP). Whereas, embedding into RGB (red, green, blue components) is centered on singular value decomposition and level-2 Discrete Wavelet Transform. The joint operation is performed at sender’s side and receiver’s side, i.e., encryption, embedding, and compression is performed at sender’s side whereas decompression and decryption procedures are performed at the receiver’s side. Additionally, compressing the data reduces the higher bandwidth requirements. The performance of the proposed scheme is based on subjective and objective evaluation. Experimental results such as PSNR (peak signal-to-noise ratio), NC (normalized correlation), BER (bit error rate), CR (compression ratio), NPCR (number of pixel change rate), and SSIM (structural similarity index) indicate that the proposed technique approaches the standard main level.