A new data encoding based on maximum to minimum histogram in reversible data hiding

ABSTRACT

The dual stego images based on data hiding has become popular in recent days. Since the embedding rate in dual stego images is very high. This paper proposes a new data encoding method based on maximum to the minimum histogram in reversible data hiding. This method estimates the encoded intensity from the message intensity and embeds the encoded intensity in the cover image. The stego image quality decreases the intensity of the hidden data which is high. The intensity of the data must be kept low to maintain a high-quality stego image. It is achieved using data encoding. Therefore, the proposed method uses new data encoding which converts the higher histogram data to lower intensity and the lower histogram data to higher intensity during the data embedding process. In the extraction process, the encoded intensities are decoded to message intensities to obtain the original data. The proposed data hiding approach has improved in terms of image quality (PSNR), structure similarity index measurements and embedding rate.

KEYWORDS:

• Dual stegano-image
• reversible data hiding
• histogram
• embedding rate
• and PSNR

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

C. Shaji received her MCA degree from Anna University, Tamil Nadu in 2011 and M.Phil degree from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tamil Nadu in 2017. At present, she is pursuing research (Reg.No. 17213112162017) in the Department of Computer Science, Nesamony Memorial Christian College, Marthandam, affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti,Tirunelveli, India. Her research interests include image processing, network security and multimedia.

Dr. I. Shatheesh Sam received Master of Computer Science and Engineering from Sathyabama University, India, in 2006. He received his Ph.D in Information and Communication Engineering at Anna University Chennai, India in 2012. Currently, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of PG Computer Science, Nesamony Memorial Christian College affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli. His research interests include multimedia security, network security and image processing. He is a life member of CSI, ISTE, IETE and member of IEEE.

Image note

The image dataset of figures 14 & 15 can be accessed through the following link:

Baboon, Barbara Boat, Pepper, Cameraman, Zelda - https://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/∼ece533/images/

Fruit- http://bits.usc.edu/cs103-sp15/picture/

Cat- https://www.cs.montana.edu/courses/spring2004/430/lectures/02/lect02.html

Statue- http://crm2.univ-lorraine.fr/pages_perso/Aubert/FTenglish/TheoIm/theoim.html

Man- http://www2.compute.dtu.dk/∼pcha/mxTV/.

Additional information

Funding

This work is partially supported by Department of Collegiate Education, Tamil Nadu.