Self-Embedding Fragile Watermarking Scheme to Detect Image Tampering Using AMBTC and OPAP Approaches

Cheonshik Kim,Ching-Nung Yang

doi:10.3390/app11031146

Abstract

Research on self-embedding watermarks is being actively conducted to solve personal privacy and copyright problems by image attack. In this paper, we propose a self-embedded watermarking technique based on Absolute Moment Block Truncation Coding (AMBTC) for reconstructing tampered images by cropping attacks and forgery. AMBTC is suitable as a recovery bit (watermark) for the tampered image. This is because AMBTC has excellent compression performance and image quality. Moreover, to improve the quality of the marked image, the Optimal Pixel Adjustment Process (OPAP) method is used in the process of hiding AMBTC in the cover image. To find a damaged block in a marked image, the authentication data along with the watermark must be hidden in the block. We employ a checksum for authentication. The watermark is embedded in the pixels of the cover image using 3LSB and 2LSB, and the checksum is hidden in the LSB. Through the recovering procedure, it is possible to recover the original marked image from the tampered marked image. In addition, when the tampering ratio was 45%, the image (Lena) could be recovered at 36 dB. The proposed self-embedding method was verified through an experiment, and the result was the recovered image showed superior perceptual quality compared to the previous methods.

Highlights

With the advanced high-speed communication technology, recently, many SNS subscribers freely share the digital contents they have created, and with useful image processing software, digital contents are manipulated to create interesting images
We propose a fragile watermark technique based on self-embedding using Absolute Moment Block Truncation Coding (AMBTC) to restore the tampered cover image
We present a productive, fragile, self-embedding watermarking method based on AMBTC

Summary

Introduction

With the advanced high-speed communication technology, recently, many SNS subscribers freely share the digital contents they have created, and with useful image processing software, digital contents are manipulated to create interesting images. Images are deliberately or unintentionally manipulated during transmission, causing many social problems. For this reason, the problem of verifying the integrity of an image is becoming an important area of image security. Adding signatures requires additional bandwidth and storage space To recover a marked image with high quality, a method is required that can accurately detect the tampered area of the marked image. As an alternative to digital signatures, the watermarking technology detects tampered areas using watermarks, but it suggests an alternative to recover marked images and is currently being actively studied

Methods

Results

Conclusion