Reversible secret-image sharing with high visual quality

Abstract

This paper proposes a reversible secret-image sharing scheme for sharing a secret image among 2n shadow images with high visual quality (i.e., they are visually indistinguishable from their original images, respectively). In the proposed scheme, not only can the secret image be completely revealed, but the original cover images can also be losslessly recovered. A difference value between neighboring pixels in a secret image is shared by 2n pixels in 2n shadow images, respectively, where n ≥ 1. A pair of shadow images which are constructed from the same cover image are called brother stego-images. To decrease pixel values changed in shadow images, each pair of brother stego-images is assigned a weighted factor when calculating difference values to be shared. A pixel in a cover image is recovered by calculating the average of corresponding pixels in its brother stego-images. A single stego-image reveals nothing and a pair of pixels in brother stego-images reveals partial difference value between neighboring secret pixels. The more brother stego-images are collected, the more information in the secret image will be revealed. Finally, a secret image will be completely revealed if all of its brother stego-images are collected.