Cover File Research Articles

The Use of Multiple MP3 Audio Files for Additional Steganography Capacity

Steganography is the science and art of hiding secret messages in such a way so that the existence of messages is undetected by human senses. In this paper, multiple MP3 files are used as cover with the aim of increasing steganographic capacity without limiting the number of used files. Concealing secret messages in the form of files on the MP3 file cover can be performed by using homogenous frame. Homogeneous frames in the MP3 files store the bits of the inserted secret files. Before being inserted into some MP3 cover files, secret files are first encrypted employing AES algorithm with passwords implicated by MD5 processes. Audio quality changes between steganography MP3 files and original MP3 files are measured by using stereo signal strength and Mean Opinion Score (MOS). The test results show that the distribution of steganography load on multiple MP3 files can fulfill the user’s needs for the capacity of steganography without reducing the quality of used MP3 files. This paper proposed a method about the increase of steganography capacity which is capable to insert and retrieve secret files on multiple MP3 audio files using homogenous frame utilization methods without resizing and reducing the quality of used MP3 files.

An Automated Security Approach of Video Steganography–Based LSB Using FPGA Implementation

Steganography has become one of the most significant techniques to conceal secret data in media files. This paper proposes a novel automated methodology of achieving two levels of security for videos, which comprise encryption and steganography techniques. The methodology enhances the security level of secret data without affecting the accuracy and capacity of the videos. In the first level, the secret data is encrypted based on Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm using Java language, which renders the data unreadable. In the second level, the encrypted data is concealed in the video frames (images) using FPGA hardware implementation that renders the data invisible. The steganographic technique used in this work is the least significant bit (LSB) method; a 1–1–0 LSB scheme is used to maintain significantly high frame imperceptibility. The video frames used as cover files are selected randomly by the randomization scheme developed in this work. The randomization method scatters the data throughout the video frames rendering the retrieval of the data in its original order, without a proper key, a challenging task. The experimental results of concealment of secret data in video frames are presented in this paper and compared with those of similar approaches. The performance in terms of area, power dissipation, and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the proposed method outperformed traditional approaches. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed method is capable of automatically embedding and extracting the secret data at two levels of security on video frames, with a 57.1[Formula: see text]dB average PSNR.

Design of an Embedding Algorithm in Image Steganography

Steganography is the art and science of hiding information which embeds hidden content into cover media so as not to provoke eavesdroppers suspicious activities. Steganography differs from cryptography in the sense that where cryptography focuses on keeping the contents of data secret while steganography focuses on keeping the existence of a data secret. Image steganography is the process of embedding of information into the cover image without degradation in the image and make the image robust so that users who do not have authorization with this information cannot access it. The approach is to implement new embedding technique for image steganography which is simple and this technique will use for all the file formats of an image. This embedding algorithm embeds the master image file size, type of encryption algorithm (DES or AES), compression ratio of secret file size, data of secret file size which is also encrypted using a secret key. The Deflate compression technique is also used to compressed secret file into the cover file. The secret message or another image file or a file can be embedded into a cover image which is also referred to as stego image. The proposed system maintains imperceptibility and data integrity property of steganography. The proposed method satisfies the reversibility property, imperceptibility, hidden capacity of data into cover image of steganography to reconstruct secret and cover images without any loss of information.

Analysis of chi-squared divergence changes by filtering of stego images formed according to UNIWARD embedding methods

Counteraction to sensitive information leakage is topical task today. Special interest is taken on early detection of hidden (steganographic) information transferring by data transmission in communication systems. Message (stego data) embedding is provided by alteration of cover files, such as digital images, according to used steganographic algorithm. Reliable detection of formed stego images requires usage of targeted stegdetector that needs a priori information about specific distortions (signatures) of cover due to data hiding. It makes detection systems vulnerable to zero-day attack – usage by malefactors the previously unknown embedding algorithms. Therefore it is required development of universal (blind) stegdetectors that are capable to reliable revealing of stego images even in case of limited or absence information about used embedding method. Creation of blind stegdetector requires determination of cover image parameters that are sensitive to any alteration caused by message hiding. As such parameters it is proposed to use information-theoretic estimations (chi-square divergence) of pixels brightness distribution distortion due to stego data embedding. For amplification of these distortions it is used image pre-processing with median and Wiener filters. The case of adaptive messages hiding in cover images according to UNIWARD methods is considered. It is revealed that usage of chi-square divergence allows reliably detection of small alteration of cover image even in case of low cover payload (less than 10\%). Different character of chi-square divergence changes for filtered images by information hiding in spatial and JPEG domains allows determine type of used embedding domain.

Secure Text Sharing Using Medical Image Steganography

The increased popularity of digital media has raised serious concerns over its security related issues. Security attacks in the form of eavesdropping, masquerading and tampering and in many other forms is very common nowadays. Data hiding is one of the emerging techniques that aim to provide for security by hiding secret information into the multimedia contents by altering some nonessential components in the host or cover file. Security of data is very important in data communication. Everyday a lot of information is transferred from one user to another on internet and so the possibility of data theft also increases. Steganography provides a solution for the security of information during data transmission. Steganography is the science which makes the valuable information invisible to prevent it from unauthorized user. A steganography system, in general, is expected to meet three key requirements, namely, imperceptibility of embedding, accurate recovery of embedded information, and large payload (payload is the bits that get delivered to the end user at the destination). So in this project an image steganography technique is proposed to hide the documents in image in the transform domain using CMD approach. The document files are carried by the image without revealing the existence to anybody. When the secret information is hidden in the carrier the result is the stego signal. In this work, the results show good quality stego signal and the stego signal is analyzed for different attacks. The stego signals are transferred to multiple receivers based on network strategies. It is found that the technique is robust and it can withstand the attacks. The quality of the stego image is measured by Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) and other measurements.

Steganography using HTML Web Pages as a Carrier: A Survey

It is important to secure the personal information on web as people are enticed to share their information through the social media. So, it is very important to secure this data and obscure it. Some techniques such as Steganography, Cryptography and Watermarking are used to obnubilate the data. Steganography is the method to hide the secret data under a cover image where a cover image can be text, image or video. Cryptography is the technique of encrypting the message by using different methods. Watermarking is the technique to uniquely identify the images, videos or audios and prevent it from forgery. Steganography is preferred over cryptography as it is strenuous to detect and predict the hidden data from the cover files. HTML Steganography has advantage over other techniques as it hides the data under HTML web pages and the data does not look suspicious to the intruders as web pages are widely used over the internet.

An accurate and high-efficient QuBits steganography scheme based on hybrid neural networks

This paper presents a novel scheme for QuBits steganography based on adaptive neural networks. Steganography based on qubits string along with the adaptive neural networks with the recycling of the modified particle swarm optimization algorithm, and using the enhanced general controlled NOT gate and NEQR representation model with the optimal target of the quantum ANNS (QANNs).In this scheme, the cover image is trained to be more accrued. Then in the obtained stego file, coefficients are classified based on their XORs. The suggested scheme avoids attacking of the sensitive data in a way that receiver can extract the information without any errors. Considering the preformed classification, secret qubits will not be revealed in the transferring process and then with the use of inverse extracting, stego file will be obtained. The most important features that our work obtained are good adaptation with human vision system and retrieval of data without getting error. Simulation results show that our proposed scheme has a good adaptation with human vision system (HVS) and outperforms in terms of PSNR factors over recently published works. Particularly, the suggested results can easily realize optimal target value locations of the ANNs to obtain low noise and high accuracy. Additionally, the proposed scheme can separately conceal a secret message and contents of the cover file.

Method of synchronization and data processing from differents inertial sensors kits sources for the human gait analysis

The article talks about results of data synchronization measurements sourced from two recording gait systems for human gait analyses. Two systems are Xsens sensor kits: MT Awinda, Xbus Kit. The article cover file format used to save data and synchronization method for sensor measurement from above mentioned kits. On the basis of the studies carried out, sensor measurement from different places on human body are unify to a common frame of reference. The discussed method provides also progressive data processing for angles range from -180° to 180° conversion to the absolute angle value from initial sensor settings.

Data hiding technique in steganography for information security using number theory

In the current era, due to the widespread availability of the Internet, it is extremely easy for people to communicate and share multimedia contents with each other. However, at the same time, secure transfer of personal and copyrighted material has become a critical issue. Consequently, secure means of data transfer are the most urgent need of the time. Steganography is the science and art of protecting the secret data from an unauthorised access. The steganographic approaches conceal secret data into a cover file of type audio, video, text and/or image. The actual challenge in steganography is to achieve high robustness and capacity without bargaining on the imperceptibility of the cover file. In this article, an efficient steganography method is proposed for the transfer of secret data in digital images using number theory. For this purpose, the proposed method represents the cover image using the Fibonacci sequence. The representation of an image in the Fibonacci sequence allows increasing the bit planes from 8-bit to 12-bit planes. The experimental results of the proposed method in comparison with other existing steganographic methods exhibit that our method not only achieves high embedding of secret data but also gives high quality of stego images in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). Furthermore, the robustness of the technique is also evaluated in the presence of salt and pepper noise attack on the cover images.

Concealment of Files Blocked by Gmail with EOF-Based Image Steganography

Nowadays, due to security concern, not all the process of sending files via email runs smoothly. There are several types of file extensions that are blocked when sent via email. For examples, there are several file extensions blocked by Gmail. This paper discusses steganographic implementation using End of File (EOF) algorithm to insert special file into image cover file with JPG and PNG format so that files with these extensions can be sent via email. Before a special extension file is inserted into the cover file, a compression process should be conducted first to make the file size smaller. The proposed algorithm is implemented on Visual Basic.Net software. Based on the tests performed, the application can insert Gmail-blocked file system to the image cover file, without changing the physical bit of the image cover file or file system that inserted with 100% success rate. The stego-image file is also successfully sent via email without being blocked.

Reversible steganographic method based on interpolation by bivariate linear box-spline on the three directional mesh

Data hiding is the discipline of hiding information into digital media. A reversible steganographic method allows to extract data from the stego file as well as to retrieve the cover file. This paper proposes a reversible steganographic method based on interpolation by linear box-splines on the three directional mesh. Secret data is hidden in the error between the cover and interpolated pixels. To have better imperceptibility, we search for the nearest value to the cover pixel that can dissimulate data; this was achieved with two techniques: Optimal Pixel Adjustment Procedure and Message Adaptive Error. The proposed method is tested through experiments on a variety of images and compared to prior works. Results indicate a large capacity of hiding and good values of PSNR. The proposed work was also tested by steganalysis attacks; results show a low detectability rate. We find in the comparison that the proposed work surpasses the literature in the capacity of hiding with an equivalent level of imperceptibility.

A SURVEY ON TEXT STEGANOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES

Steganography is the art of hiding data within another data. Is a useful technique for hiding data such as image, audio, text etc behind cover files. There are exists various techniques for text Steganography, and all of them have their own respective strong and weak points. For each text Steganography used, they have different requirements and rules on how they applied. Many Text Steganography techniques are proposed, all of them have something in common that was to increase embedding rate of the secret data within the cover files and to rises suspicion as little as possible from an unintended observer. Steganography is a promising technique as a supplement to Cryptography, because the chiper text will certainly raise suspicion because it forms, and there is where Steganography comes in to hide those encrypted message to some cover files thus reducing risk the secret message get revealed. This paper provides a general overview and a brief idea of Text Steganography techniques.

Data hiding in the FAT family file system structure

Methods of technical steganography, namely, those ones based on information messages hiding in the structure of the FAT family file system are studied. The basic method based on changing the numbering of cover files clusters is considered, its advantages and disadvantages are researched. An improved method is proposed that makes it possible to increase significantly the hidden data size. The results of the comparative analysis of hiding data in the structure of the FAT family file system are given.

Advanced Password Authentication Protection by Hybrid Cryptography & Audio Steganography

Data transmission in public communication system is not safe since of interception and improper manipulation by attacker. So, the attractive solution for these problems is to design high secure system that reduce the ability of attacker from getting sensitive information such as (account ID, passwords, etc.). The best way is combine two high secure techniques: steganography technique, which is the method of hiding any secret information like data, password and image behind any cover file and cryptography, which is convert the data to unreadable data. This paper suggests a crypto-stego authentication method to provide a highly secured authentication. The proposed method is utilized audio steganography and AES Cryptography. The authentication key (password) is spilt to two parts, the first half is used as input text to stego-crypto process while the second half used as crypto key. The crypto key is encrypted using HMAC-SHA256 hash algorithm and sent to server while the second half has encrypted with AES that ciphered with random xor cipher algorithm then embedding in wave audio by used Least Significant Bit (LSB) algorithm then streamed to server. This method can trick the attacker to focused on hashed value that appears with streaming data while the part of key hided within the cover file.

File Encryption and Hiding Application Based on AES and Append Insertion Steganography

Steganography is a method of hiding secret message in other innocuous looking object so that its presence is not revealed. In this paper, a message, which is a computer file of any type and size, is hidden in a selected cover or carrier, which is a computer file of certain types. The steganography method used in this paper is called append insertion steganography method. This method is chosen as an attempt to remove the limitation of message format, which appears in many popular steganography methods. To scramble the meaning of the hidden message, AES-256 (Rijndael algorithm) is used to encrypt the message with a secret passphrase. A special block of bytes is used to identify and verify the original message so it can be recovered while retaining its integrity. The C# programming language and .NET Framework are chosen to implement the algorithm into a Windows application. In this paper, one cover file contains exactly one message file. In the testing, five random files are used as secret message. Their integrity is calculated using SHA-256 before hiding and after recovery. In the testing, they all retain their integrity, proven by exact hash values. Thus, the application as the implementation of proposed algorithm is proven feasible but only for personal use as some improvements still have to be implemented.

JPEG based steganography methods using Cohort Intelligence with Cognitive Computing and modified Multi Random Start Local Search optimization algorithms

The JPEG image is a very popular digital image format used in various steganography techniques to hide a large capacity of secret data into a cover file with minimum distortion, visually undetectable, of picture quality. Cohort Intelligence (CI), an optimization algorithm inspired from the natural and social tendency of learning from one another is being tested and shown very encouraging results for solving unconstrained, constrained and NP-hard combinatorial problems. Cognitive computing (CC), an emerging area of research and have various applications in the field of machine learning. Another interesting optimization technique Multi Random Start Local Search (MRSLS) optimization algorithm has already been studied for NP-hard combinatorial problems and shown good results. Considering two important aspects of steganography techniques – picture quality and high data hiding capacity, a research effort has been made to propose two novel image based steganography techniques based on JPEG compression i.e., a modified CI optimization algorithm combined with CC technique referred to as CICC and modified MRSLS optimization algorithm referred to as M-MRSLS.

Scope of Support Vector Machine in Steganography

Steganography is a technique used for secure transmission of data. Using audio as a cover file opens path for many extra features. In order to overcome the limitations of conventional LSB technique, various variants were proposed by different authors. In order to achieve robustness, use of various optimization techniques has been tradition. In this paper the focus is put on use of Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Intelligence in steganography. To list detailed scope, merits and de-merits of the two optimization techniques is the main constituent of this paper. In spite of analyzing the two techniques, the motivation and applicability of machine learning algorithm in the problem statement is also discussed. This paper will guide the path in using Support Vector Machine for optimizing the data hiding.

Comparative Study on different Steganographic Techniques

The high speed digital world of today has eased the process of data transmission. Today, large amount of data can be transferred in small amount of time which has raised a big question on the secrecy of data, since it can easily be accessed by any third party. Digital Steganography is the science that involves communicating secret data in an appropriate multimedia carrier such that the existence of communication is hidden. The art of information hiding has gained much importance in past few years because after having solved the issue of speed and amount of data to be transferred, the other big concern is the security of that data as the information is being transmitted via common channels of communication. Steganography is a technology where data compression, cryptography and information theory like methods are brought together to provide the required amount of secrecy to transfer data. Classification of steganography techniques into multiple categories is based on the cover modification applied in the embedding process and the type of cover used for secret communication. This is totally a review paper, in which we provide the comparison of available steganography methods of hiding text in an image file, audio file, text file or a video file using some basic techniques namely Substitution System, Transform Domain, Spread Spectrum technique, Statistical Method, Distortions Technique and Cover Generating Methods which are categorised accordingly in their respective domains. These types of files act as a cover file for sending the secret message in embedded form.

A Survey on Different Feature Extraction and Classification Techniques Used in Image Steganalysis

Steganography is the process of hiding data into public digital medium for secret communication. The image in which the secret data is hidden is termed as stego image. The detection of hidden embedded data in the image is the foundation for blind image steganalysis. The appropriate selection of cover file type and composition contribute to the successful embedding. A large number of steganalysis techniques are available for the detection of steganography in the image. The performance of the steganalysis technique depends on the ability to extract the discriminative features for the identification of statistical changes in the image due to the embedded data. The issue encountered in the blind image steganography is the non-availability of knowledge about the applied steganography techniques in the images. This paper surveys various steganalysis methods, different filtering based preprocessing methods, feature extraction methods, and machine learning based classification methods, for the proper identification of steganography in the image.

A security enhanced robust audio steganography algorithm for image hiding using sample comparison in discrete wavelet transform domain and RSA encryption

Steganography is the technique of hiding any secret information like text, image or video behind a cover file. Audio steganography is one of the widespread data hiding techniques that embeds secret data in audio signals. The secret data is hidden in a way that unauthorized people are not aware of the existence of the embedded data and without changing the quality of the audio signal (cover audio). Data hiding in audio signals has various applications such as protection of copyrighted audio signals, secret communication, hiding data that may influence the security and safety of governments and personnel. This paper proposes an efficient steganography scheme based on sample comparison in Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) domainwhere the cover audio is decomposed into several multi sub-bands, and then selected coefficients of details are changed by a threshold value depending on the embedding cipher image bit. This approach employs an original image component to perform RSA encryption on it, then cipher bits are embedded in the details components of the audio signal according to a predetermined threshold value. The performance of the algorithm has been estimated extensively against attacks, and simulation results are presented to prove the robustness of the proposed algorithm.