Secure visual secret sharing scheme for color images using visual cryptography and digital watermarking

Abstract

In today's world of digital communication, as technology progresses, there is more and more attention required on image security. Many visual cryptography algorithms have been suggested and digital watermarking in association with visual cryptography is also proposed for more image security. An image watermarking model based on progressive visual cryptography is proposed to decide optimal number of shares. A study on implementation of meaningful shares in combination with visual cryptography scheme for secret images is carried out for implementation of algorithm. A visual cryptography techniques are used to create meaningful shares. In this paper analysis of different algorithms are performed which generates meaningful shares. These shares are watermarked with cover images. After transmission of these watermarked images to receiving end, the receiving end will extract the shares from watermarked images and stacking of these extracted meaningful shares will generate the original secret image. Combination of Digital watermarking and visual cryptography adds enhanced security to secret images.