Blind Digital Watermarking Research Articles

Enhancing copyright protection with Hadamard transform-based blind digital watermarking using the cycling chaos system

The network's ease of use has brought a copyright dilemma for some multimedia works. It is consequently necessary to develop a safe digital watermarking technology to guarantee the protection of digital work's copyright. The proposed method addresses the pressing need for robust blind digital watermarking technology to safeguard the copyrights of multimedia works in the face of the accessibility provided by modern networks. Two approaches are presented in our research paper. First, a blind Hadamard transform-based method is proposed, leveraging the energy concentration concept inherent in the transform. This technique embeds watermarks into the highest energy coefficients of color host images in the transform domain. Notably, watermark extraction is achieved without accessing the original data. Extensive simulation tests validate the efficacy of this method. Second, we have explored the burgeoning field of chaotic systems in watermarking. An LSB-based strategy, termed the cycling chaos algorithm, is introduced. This approach seamlessly integrates data, into color images using the least significant bits. It employs a cycling chaos function to generate a key for a pseudorandom number generator, which, in turn, determines the intensity and pixel positions for storing privileged data in the original image. Through simulation trials, the significant impact of this method on various performance metrics is demonstrated. These contributions aim to not only address immediate copyright protection challenges but also inspire further exploration and advancement in digital watermarking.

Blind Digital Watermark Based on Discrete Fourier Transformation

The policy and security of digital images are concerned by all artists. Embedding blind digital watermarks to images is an effective solution to such problem. The existing blind digital watermark techniques for images are usually based on the spatial domain method, such as some build-in tools in some software like Photoshop. Those methods' imperceptibility is good, but the robustness is dissatisfactory. Therefore, blind digital watermark based on the frequency domain is becoming popular nowadays. The use of the frequency domain-based techniques can not only keep the imperceptibility but also ensure good robustness and non-removability. According to the reasons mentioned above, this thesis presents a frequency domain-based blind digital watermark technique. This method uses basic discrete Fourier transformation to transform an image to the frequency domain and then embeds a digital watermark. To increase the security, we also introduce some methods to encode watermarks before embedding them to the images. We conduct some experiments by applying the technique to some images with different watermarks. In the experiments, it can embed blind watermarks with the least effect on the quality of the original image and can also successfully extract watermarks from the watermarked image. The results show this technique is highly useable. We also conduct some experiments to simulate the attacks. This technique also shows great robustness after many kinds of different attacking methods.

Robust Watermarking via Multidomain Transform Over Wireless Channel: Design and Experimental Validation

Watermarking is a technique that provides ownership rights for shared data, and this technique can also help to transmit confidential information to realize secure communication. In this paper, we design a blind digital watermarking based on Discrete Wavelet Transform-Discrete Cosine Transform-Singular Value Decomposition (DWT-DCT-SVD) and optimize it by genetic algorithm (GA). This watermarking has both high robustness and high imperceptibility. Then we design a transmitter and receiver system based on the IEEE 802.11a and software-defined radio (SDR). We adopt several optimization methods for the system, such as ACK/HARQ mechanism, different redundant coding, frame length adaption, adaptive modulation, and so on, aiming to improve communication reliability and rate. We verify its high communication reliability and rate through actual experiments and complete the combination of digital watermarking and wireless transmission. We could build the application scenario of Image Security Wireless Communication based on Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocol and SDR platform indoors or outdoors in small areas.

A blind color image watermarking algorithm using the energy concentration principle of Hadamard matrix

The convenience of the network has brought the copyright crisis of some multimedia works. Therefore, a secure digital watermarking algorithm is urgently needed to realize the copyright maintenance of digital works. A blind digital watermarking algorithm using approximate Hadamard transform is presented in this paper. Since Hadamard transform has a certain energy aggregation effect, in this paper, the principle of energy concentration of Hadamard transform is explored, and the Hadamard transform is slightly treated, so that the multiple increase of large energy coefficient is realized. This modified approximate Hadamard transform is applied to the process of changing from spatial domain to transform domain in the embedding and extraction stage of our proposed watermarking algorithm. In this algorithm, the color image digital watermark is hided in the maximum energy coefficient of color host image in transform domain by using the idea of quantization. In the extraction stage, the watermark image can be extracted completely without the participation of any original information. In order to check on the feasibility of the algorithm, a large number of simulation experiments have been done. The results of simulation experiments show that the proposed algorithm has excellent effect in various performance index.

Digital Image Watermarking using Chaotic Encryption and Arnold Transform

Internet has caused an extraordinary increase in the transfer and sharing of digital data like text, videos, images, audio, etc. over it. However, with the advent of modern access technology, multimedia data is more prone to security risks as data can be modified or redistributed without prior permission. Chaotic encryption-based blind digital image watermarking technique applicable to both grayscale and colour images. Discrete cosine transform (DCT) is used before embedding the watermark in the host image. Arnold transform is used in addition to chaotic encryption to add double-layer security to the watermark. Three different variants of the proposed algorithm have been tested and analysed. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is robust to most of the image processing operations like joint picture expert group compression, sharpening, cropping, and median filtering. To validate the efficiency of the proposed technique, the simulation results are compared with certain state-of-art techniques.

Blind Extraction of Digital Watermarking Algorithm for Color Images

Digital watermark technology hides copyright information in digital images, effectively protecting the copyright of digital images. At present, the color image digital watermarking algorithm still has defects such as the inability to balance robustness, invisibility and the weak anti-attack ability. Aiming at the above problems, this paper studies the digital watermarking method based on discrete wavelet transform and discrete cosine transform. Then this paper proposes a color image blind digital watermarking algorithm based on QR code. First, convert the color image from RGB space to YCbCr space, extract the Y component and perform the second-level discrete wavelet transform. secondly, block the LL2 subband and perform the discrete cosine transform. finally, use the embedding method to convert the watermark information after the Arnold transform embedded in the block. The experimental results show that the PSNR of the color image embedded with the QR code is 56.7159 without being attacked. After being attacked, its PSNR and NC values are respectively 30dB and 0.95 or more, which proves that the algorithm has good robustness and can achieve watermarking blind extraction.

A color value differentiation scheme for blind digital image watermarking

In order to contribute to the security of medical image, we present in this paper a blind and robust watermarking technique that allows the integration of the electronic patient’s record into retinal images. In our work, we present an approach developed to find a compromise between capacity and imperceptibility. The proposed blind watermarking approach is based on the color values difference calculation between pixels to determine the substitution to be made. We proposed in this work ten possible variants of this approach to determine which offers the best compromise between the capacity and the imperceptibility. Following the evaluation of the approach by metrics designed for reliability tests, some variants confirm remarkably good results either by objective or subjective evaluation. The capacity and imperceptibility evaluations reveal very encouraging results. We obtained good results concerning the imperceptibility with a PSNR greater than 69 dB for some variants due to the insignificance of the least significant bits modification. An evaluation of the watermark’s robustness demonstrates the proposed schemas generate reasonably robust watermarked samples against various attacks. A high-quality watermark with a normalized cross-correlation greater than 0.9 for some variants is obtained. However, some variants remain weak in terms of robustness because any simple treatment can modify the LSBs, which makes the extraction impossible.

Artificial bee colony based perceptually tuned blind color image watermarking in hybrid LWT-DCT domain

A perceptually tuned blind digital watermarking method for color images in a hybrid lifting wavelet transform (LWT) and discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain is proposed in this work. The color watermark is scrambled by arnold transform before embedding to enhance the security level. The color host image is firstly transformed by lifting wavelet transform and the approximate sub-band is partitioned into different blocks each of size 8 x 8. The pixel values of each block are quantized using a quantization table. Each quantized-block is further decomposed by the DCT, to generate the AC coefficient matrix. Scrambled watermark is thereafter inserted into the AC coefficient matrix using the perceptually tuned dynamic embedding strength factor. The visual quality and robustness of the proposed watermarking are balanced by optimizing the value of perceptually tuned strength factor by the Artificial bee colony (ABC) optimization algorithm. Experimental results show that the color watermark is undetectable (with CPSNR > 40 dB) into the host image and robust enough (with NC > 0.9) to resist the image processing and manipulation attacks. Comparison analysis with other related watermarking methods highlights the efficacy of the proposed work.

Development of 3-State Blind Digital Watermark based on the Correlation Function

Development of 3-State Blind Digital Watermark based on the Correlation Function

Blind Digital Watermarking Framework Based on DTCWT and NSCT for Telemedicine Application

In this work, a blind watermarking framework for medical images based on Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet Transform (DTCWT) and Non-subsampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT) is proposed. The core idea of this technique is to embed the watermark in the appropriate NSCT sub-band obtained by decomposing the cover image low coefficients purchased from the DTCWT standing on a quantization embedding function, the extraction phase is done without the requirement of the original cover image, what makes it a fully blind process. As clarity and integrity of the retrieved watermark are mandatory, a series of tests were exerted to affirm the robustness of the proposed scheme. The effectiveness of the watermarking is validated by using the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and the structural similarity index measure (SSIM) through experiments. Simulation results demonstrate the invisibility of the proposed method and its strong robustness against various attacks, including additive noise, image filtering, JPEG compression, amplitude scaling, rotation attack, and combinational attack. Furthermore, the method in hands outperformance within the quantitative comparisons with other techniques in the literature in terms of rapid execution time, and quality extraction of hidden information, and appropriateness to be integrated for secure exchange in the healthcare sector.

Blind Digital Watermarking Algorithm against Projection Transformation for Vector Geographic Data

Projection transformation is an important part of geographic analysis in geographic information systems, which are particularly common for vector geographic data. However, achieving resistance to projection transformation attacks on watermarking for vector geographic data is still a challenging task. We proposed a digital watermarking against projection transformation based on feature invariants for vector geographic data in this paper. Firstly, the features of projection transformation are analyzed, and the number of vertices, the storage order, and the storage direction of two adjacent objects are designed and used as the feature invariant to projection transformation. Then, the watermark index is calculated by the number of vertices of two adjacent objects, and the embedding rule is determined by the storage direction of two adjacent objects. Finally, the proposed scheme performs blind detection through the storage direction of adjacent features. Experimental results demonstrate that the method can effectively resist arbitrary projection transformation, which indicates the superior performance of the proposed method in comparison to the previous methods.

Digital Image Watermarking Using Optimization and Encryption

In this paper, with the technique of chaotic encryption-based blind digital image watermarking, we introduce a new grey wolf optimization. Discrete cosine transform (DCT) is employed before embedding the watermark within the host image. The image at host is split into 8x8 which is a non-overlapping blocks before employing DCT application, and the watermark bit is included through modifying the differences between the neighboring blocks DCT coefficients. Then, grey wolf optimization algorithm (GWO) is employed. Arnold transform is used along with the chaotic encryption to provide additional watermark security. The presented model is applied to a collection of benchmark images and the results validated the performance in terms of PSNR. The presented method attains maximum PSNR value on entirely given test images.

Efficient Security Base d Video Watermarking Technique u sing Chaotic Encryption with Discrete Cosine Transform

In this paper, a novel chaotic encryption-based blind digital video watermarking technique (DVWT) is presented for grayscale and color images. This method makes use of Discrete Cosine transform (DCT) prior to embed the watermark in the hosting video. The hosting video is split into frames of 8*8 nonoverlapping blocks before employing DCT, and watermark bit is implanted by altering the variations among the nearby DCT coefficients of neighboring blocks. Arnold transform is applied for chaotic encryption to offer extra security to the watermark. A set of three versions of the proposed model has been applied and the results are investigated. The experimental outcome confirms that the DCT-VWT is efficient on different image processing functions such as JPEG compression, sharpening, cropping, and median filtering. The comparative analysis ensures that the presented DCT for digital video watermarking technique (DCT-DVWT) is efficient under subjective as well as objective way.

ELM-Kernel and reduced kernel ELM based watermarking scheme

With high popularity of Internet, digital data or information can be shared at much higher speed, with less expenses and efforts. This creates new opportunities like e-advertisement, web publishing, audio and video deliveries but these opportunities create many new threats also. An important issue is the copyright protection of the content. Digital watermarking is one of the approach gaining interest to achieve the security of the content. For copyright protection, the blind digital watermarking schemes with the new machine learning technique ELM-Kernel(KELM) and Reduced Kernel Extreme Learning Machine(RKELM) plus Integer Wavelet Transformation(IWT) and Singular Value Decomposition(SVD) have been proposed. The scheme is composed of three steps, namely, watermark embedding, machine learning phase and finally an extraction of watermark. In the embedding phase, the cover image is transformed into IWT domain, then the HL sub-band has been divided into 4 × 4 non-overlapping blocks. SVD is applied to each block to get their singular values then these values have been modified by using the Cox’s formula to embed one bit of watermark in one block and a watermarked image is then obtained. During the machine training phase, an ELM-Kernel(KELM) and Reduced Kernel Extreme Learning Machine(RKELM) is trained separately to memorize the relationship between the coefficients of watermarked image and the original cover image. During extraction phase, an oblivious phase, where the original image is not required and the trained machine is used to extract the watermark from the watermarked image. This algorithm aims to minimize the value of BER in order to assess the robustness of the algorithm. Results show that value of BER is very small even watermarked images are subject to attacks like noise, cropping, sharpening, rotation and blurring. The extracted watermarks are shown in the results which has great similarity with the original watermark. Performance of the proposed method is analyzed by the comparative study with some of the existing methods and it demonstrates that the proposed method outperforms these methods in terms of robustness.

A fast video watermarking algorithm using dual tree complex wavelet transform

Illegal camcording as the most common source of video piracy, is the main concern of the film production companies. With the increased speed and convenience of access to the Internet and video sharing services, the distribution of pirated video copies is more than easy. Digital video watermarking is one of the possible ways to prevent the illegal recording and distribution of videos. In this paper, a blind digital video watermarking method based on Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet Transform (DTCWT) is proposed. Here, the generated watermark is embedded in the low frequency coefficients of the chrominance channel of the video frames. The watermark is generated in a way that the detection system does not need to know the size of the original video. To reduce the computational complexity of the proposed method, the embedding process is equivalently done in the spatial domain. The proposed method is compared to the state-of-art methods against different attacks. Experimental results show that the proposed method is more robust against various attacks while maintaining the perceptual quality of the original video significantly better than the compared methods. Also the proposed method is evaluated in terms of computational complexity which reveals that the proposed method performs faster than the compared methods.

Blind digital speech watermarking using filter bank multicarrier modulation for 5G and IoT driven networks

Today’s world is a domain of Social Networks with millions of people sharing valuable information over the Internet. In the future wireless networks like 5G, it is estimated that 20 billion devices will be connected with the internet (IoT). Therefore, there are certain issues related to the privacy and security of a user while sharing information through a social network especially when the shared information carries multimedia content like images, video, audio/speech. The security issues such as integrity and data authentication can be fulfilled using various Digital Watermarking Techniques. In this paper a new technique of Speech Watermarking (Least-Significant-Bit substitution) using Filter Bank Multicarrier Modulation (FBMC) Technique for 5G networks is proposed and implemented. The technique has been implemented in MATLAB on a test recorded speech signal against various signal processing modifications (FBMC and Additive White Gaussian Noise). Experimental results reveal that the proposed technique in spite of various attacks allows to retrieve embedded watermark efficiently with less Bit Error Rate and better audio quality of the received speech signal.

GA Based Robust Blind Digital Watermarking

A genetic algorithm based robust blind digital watermarking scheme is presented. The experimental results show that our scheme keeps invisibility, security and robustness more likely than other proposals in the literature, thanks to the GA pretreatment.

Secure and Robust Digital Image Watermarking Using Coefficient Differencing and Chaotic Encryption

This paper presents a chaotic encryption-based blind digital image watermarking technique applicable to both grayscale and color images. Discrete cosine transform (DCT) is used before embedding the watermark in the host image. The host image is divided into $8\times 8$ nonoverlapping blocks prior to DCT application, and the watermark bit is embedded by modifying difference between DCT coefficients of adjacent blocks. Arnold transform is used in addition to chaotic encryption to add double-layer security to the watermark. Three different variants of the proposed algorithm have been tested and analyzed. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is robust to most of the image processing operations like joint picture expert group compression, sharpening, cropping, and median filtering. To validate the efficiency of the proposed technique, the simulation results are compared with certain state-of-art techniques. The comparison results illustrate that the proposed scheme performs better in terms of robustness, security, and imperceptivity. Given the merits of the proposed scheme, it can be used in applications like e-healthcare and telemedicine to robustly hide electronic health records in medical images.

Robust Video Watermarking Scheme Based on Intra-Coding Process in MPEG-2 Style

The proposed scheme implemented a semi blind digital watermarking method for video exploiting MPEG-2 standard. The watermark is inserted into selected high frequency coefficients of plain types of discrete cosine transform blocks instead of edge and texture blocks during intra coding process. The selection is essential because the error in such type of blocks is less sensitive to human eyes as compared to other categories of blocks. Therefore, the perceptibility of watermarked video does not degraded sharply. Visual quality is also maintained as motion vectors used for generating the motion compensated images are untouched during the entire watermarking process. Experimental results revealed that the scheme is not only robust to re-compression attack, spatial synchronization attacks like cropping, rotation but also strong to temporal synchronization attacks like frame inserting, deleting, swapping and averaging. The superiority of the anticipated method is obtaining the best sturdiness results contrast to the recently delivered schemes.

양자화 색인 변조에 기반한 블라인드 디지털 영상 워터마킹 방법

양자화 색인 변조에 기반한 블라인드 디지털 영상 워터마킹 방법