Improved security in the genetic algorithm-based image steganography scheme using Hilbert space-filling curve

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the security analysis of a recently proposed data hiding scheme by Kanan and Nazeri [A novel image steganography scheme with high embedding capacity and tunable visual image quality based on a genetic algorithm. Expert Syst Appl. 2014;41(14):6123–6130]. Security of the scheme depends upon a secret key\chromosome constructed using a genetic algorithm. The key specifies offsets and patterns for data embedding. By performing the key-sensitivity analysis and exploiting image pixel correlation, it is shown in the present paper that the secret data can be easily revealed. Simulation results demonstrate that just 11 bits out of the 27-bit secret key are sufficient to reveal the data. To overcome the problem, an improvement is suggested in the data embedding pattern that demonstrates high data security. Bitwise analysis of the secret key used in the modified approach exhibits high sensitivity to change in the key.

KEYWORDS:

• Data hiding
• image security
• Hilbert curve

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Gyan Singh Yadav was born in Mavai Khurd (Mahoba), Uttar Pradesh, India. He received the B.Tech. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, the M.Tech. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from PDPM Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. He is currently working as an assistant professor in Computer Science and Engineering at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Aparajita Ojha is a professor at PDPM Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing Jabalpur, India. She obtained her Ph.D. in Mathematics from R.D. University, Jabalpur in 1987. Her research interests include Computer-Aided Design, Robot Motion Planning and Visual Cryptography.

ORCID

Gyan Singh Yadav http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2543-6719

Image note

Images in figures 3 & 5 were taken from publicly available sets of test images available in the following links:

https://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~ece533/images/

https://www.hlevkin.com/06testimages.htm