LSB Modification based Audio Steganography using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) Technique

Steganography is a data security technique that used as an effort to secure data. Various techniques and media tested in the steganography technique. One of the classic methods that still today is the Least Significant Bit (LSB) method. As one of the classical methods, this method tested in many technical modification developments and tested on various types of cover media. Various LSB methods that have done always show changes in quality. Therefore, this study conducted tests to try to increase the capacity of the steganography and test the quality degradation that occurred using LSB and some modified LSB methods. The evaluations include calculating the PSNR value, drawing the visual spectrogram, and calculating the BER value. The PSNR evaluation shows that the larger the cover media size used, the smaller the risk of quality degradation, and the bigger the secret message, the greater the noise that will be generated. The evaluation of BER shows that any technique depends on the match between the cover media bits and the secret message bits. Evaluation of the calculation of the maximum steganographic capacity shows that the larger the size of the cover media, the greater the capacity of the secret message that the cover media has.

The less obvious that an image has been modified, the less it will be suspected of containing a secret message or image. This paper proposes an image steganographic approach wherein the bit information of the secret message replaces the LSBs (least significant bit) of the RGB (red green blue) bytes of the cover image just like many of the LSB image steganography methods, except that the bits of the secret message undergo a series of evaluated and scored bit rotation and inversion operations prior replacement. Using MSE and PSNR as a measure of image quality, the stego image generated by this proposed approach produced lesser distortion than the existing four bits per byte replacement approach of LSB Replacement and Adaptive LSB Embedding algorithms. The proposed approach however does not offer significant improvement of robustness in terms of security.

The paper proposes a novel chaos based audio steganography and cryptography method. It is a higher Least Significant Bit (LSB) layers algorithm in which the secret message is encrypted first by one-time pad algorithm. Two chaotic sequences of Piecewise Linear Chaotic Map (PWLCM) were used. In the encryption process, the key for one-time pad is generated by PWLCM chaotic map. In the steganography process, the second sequence of PWLCM is used to generate a random sequence. Then, indices of the ordered generated sequence were used to embed the encrypted message in randomly selected audio samples. The encrypted data were embedded on the higher layers other than the LSB using efficient bits adjustment algorithm, in order to increase the robustness against noise addition or MPEG compression. An analysis is discussed for the proposed scheme. For the steganography algorithm, the proposed scheme overcomes the main two problems for LSB coding, which are the low robustness of secret message extraction and destruction. For the former, the proposed method encrypts the secret message by perfect efficient algorithm which is the one-time pad. Regard of the second one, the secret message is hidden in higher layers which improve the robustness against signal processing manipulation. The main three steganography characteristics were tested and evaluated which are high capacity, perceptual transparency and robustness. Furthermore, the drawbacks of key generation and key distribution for one-time pad is sloved by using the chaotic maps. For the experimental results, waveform analysis and signal-to-noise Ratio are made, which show the high quality of the stego audio, and hence demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed scheme.

Steganography is the practice of hiding data, such as images, videos, or text, within a cover image without it being detectable by the human eye. Several factors, such as the capacity, security, and robustness of the technique, are essential when transferring information using this method. In this study, we propose a new approach to image steganography that improves the Least Significant Bit (LSB) technique by utilizing images of 24 bits in each pixel. Improving the capacity and security of LSB-based steganography requires a combination of techniques, such as indirect embedding, embedding in multiple channels, and applying cryptographic and compression techniques. This approach conducts by encrypting each compressed secret message bit with the most significant bit of the red channel and then saving the output bit (hidden bit) in the least significant bit of the (green/blue) channel according to the row value (odd/ even). To further security, the suggested approach uses multi-level encryption; employs RSA to encrypt the secret message before applying the Huffman compression and encrypting the hidden bit by (XOR/XNOR) in the embedding method based on the row value of the pixel. Meanwhile, it is planned to use the Huffman coding technique to shorten the length of the encrypted message that will be inserted in the cover image. For the color photos in this work, the standard images were acquired from a standard dataset (USC-SIPI). The suggested approach performs better when measured in terms of mean square error (MSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and comparison to findings from related prior efforts.

The research objective is to hide messages through images using the LSB (Least Significant Bit) method and Caesar Chipper and Rivest Code 4 encryption. The LSB (Least Significant Bit) method is used as a message hiding technique in steganography where hiding hidden messages is done by changing a few bits in the segment. image with a secret message. The results of this study resulted in an implementation using the Least Significant Bit (LSB) to be applied to institutions with an interest in maintaining the confidentiality of encrypted image output, changing the image file size and sound (audio) file size.

As the extension of the least significant bits (LSB) steganographic algorithm, steganographic algorithm embedding in two least-significant bits (Two-LSBs for short) has some characteristics, such as visual imperceptibility, higher capacity and easy realization. A new steganalysis method is introduced to detect the existence of hidden message that are randomly embedded in LSB and the second significant bits (second-LSBs)of image pixels. It is proposed based on investigating the statistical characters of image data in LSB and the second significant bits with hidden message. It can estimate embedding rate and length of hidden message. The experiments present detection effect with different thresholds and embedding rates, and show the detection method is effective that detection rate is up to 90% when embedded rate is more than 20%.

In spatial domain image steganography, Least Significant Bits (LSB) of cover image pixels are used to embed a secret message due to minimal distortion and higher payload capacity. In this paper, we have introduced an exclusive-OR (XOR) based encoding of encrypted secret message bits using varying higher-order pixel intensity bits. Encoding and LSB embedding is done block-wise by dividing the cover image into a number of blocks. The secret message is first encrypted using symmetric key cryptography and then encoded those encrypted bits by XORing them with randomly selected higher-order pixel bis of the cover image to obscure the secret bits further. Next, an inversion technique is applied to the encoded bits block-wise to keep the LSB bit changes to a minimum. The stego-key consists of the symmetric encryption key and the encode-key containing parameter settings such as the number_of_blocks, starting_block, start_pixel_offset, block_selection_rule, etc. This stego-key is shared prior to the actual communication using public-key cryptography to ensure the key’s authenticity and integrity. The extraction process does not require the cover image; the stego-image and the stego-key are sufficient. Experimental results show the visual imperceptibility along with improved image quality metrics such as Mean Square Error (MSE), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC), and Structural Similarity (SSIM) index in comparison to other well-known techniques. The average PSNR value remains above 51dB, even with 90% of the capacity utilized. The proposed scheme successfully eludes many standard steganalysis attacks such as histogram-based analysis (PDH), chi-square based embed probability test, Regular and Singular groups (RS) analysis, sample pair test, etc. on the tested stego-images.

Data exchange has been significantly encouraged by the development of communication technology and the wide use of social media over the Internet. Therefore, it is important to hide the data transmitted, especially the data that requires a person’s signature. Where the signature is an increasingly needed item that is used in our daily life to achieve some paper-based authentication in departments, the individual himself needs the signature. Cryptography and steganography are commonly considered to be the most important data hiding methodologies. Steganography is used to hide the secret message in the carrier media, such as text, audio, video, and image files, without the carrier media being distorted, and cryptography is used to conceal the purpose of the secret message. A hybrid data hiding (image steganography) and encryption technique is implemented in this research on the time domain. The secret handwritten signature image is first encrypted using the public key algorithm (RSA) in the proposed technique, then randomly inserted using Embedding data process to be concealed in one of the last three bits of that pixel(1st Least Significant Bit, 2nd LSB, and 3rd LSB) based on mathematical randomized formula over all pixels of the carrier media (image). It is assumed that the process of randomization will increase the protection provided by the technique. The suggested technique is implemented on gray level cover images. As a consequence of the random scattering of bits and using encryption, it is noted that the proposed technique achieves enhanced data hiding results in terms of performance, protection, and imperceptibility properties and the histogram of the proposed technique is better and provides more protection and security than the ordinary sequential Least Significant Bit (LSB).

This paper presents hiding one to eight gray images or texts (secret information) inside color image (cover image) based on Least Significant Bits (LSB) algorithm. The main idea is to insert the secret message (one to eight texts or one to eight gray images) in the three LSB of the cover image (color image). The color cover image RGB model (R channel, G channel and B channel) is separated into three cover images (the red cover, green cover, and blue cover). Each one of these three cover images is used to hide secret messages (gray image (two secret images in R channel, three secret images in G channel and three secret images in B channel) or text). The experiments and comparative studies show that the algorithms are characterized by many features of the ability of hiding huge data, and then the ability of extracting secret message without errors. Beside the reconstructed image, has efficacies (to human acquaintance) according to peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and mean square error (MSE), also retain both the explicitness and the characteristics of the both secret message and cover image.

When files are created, there are always bits that are not really needed and are not at least important. These bits have the capability of being changed with the information which must be hidden in the file, without damage and changes in the file. There are different methods of image steganography, among which Least Significant Bit (LSB) method is the most common one and we intend to use this method for making stego image. A LSB replacement-based newly developed method (the least significant bit) has been presented in 24 bit color images. We propose a newly developed method of information security in RGB color images using a combined method composed of a two-component method based on the replacement and adaptation of LSB for hiding information and providing more security level. We have used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for resisting against attacks, a combined filtering and different disorders.

Spatial LSB±1 steganography changes smooth characteristics between adjoining pixels of the raw image. We present a novel steganalysis method for LSB±1 steganography based on feature vectors derived from the co-occurrence matrix in the spatial domain. We investigate how LSB±1 steganography affects the bit planes of an image and show that it changes more least significant bit (LSB) planes of it. The co-occurrence matrix is derived from an image in which some of its most significant bit planes are clipped. By this preprocessing, in addition to reducing the dimensions of the feature vector, the effects of embedding were also preserved. We compute the co-occurrence matrix in different directions and with different dependency and use the elements of the resulting co-occurrence matrix as features. This method is sensitive to the data embedding process. We use a Fisher linear discrimination (FLD) classifier and test our algorithm on different databases and embedding rates. We compare our scheme with the current LSB±1 steganalysis methods. It is shown that the proposed scheme outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in detecting the LSB±1 steganographic method for grayscale images.

Nowadays, due to the rapid technological growth of information technology billions of data transferred through the network around the world in a fraction of seconds. To protect the transferred information from unauthorized access, security mechanism is required. At this point, significant role is performed by a technology called information security. So, to provide security, various techniques have been evolved such as cryptography, steganography and digital watermarking. Cryptography converts the message into scrambled format whereas in steganography the secret message is buried in the digital media. In this paper, both cryptography and steganography is combined to safeguard the information. First, the message is encrypted with the help of revised RSA algorithm to convert the message into secret message. Second, the cover image is segmented into edge and non-edge pixels using Canny edge detection technique and then N1(two) and N2 (four) bits of the secret messages are buried into the edge and non-edge pixel areas using LSB technique. Finally, the essential parameters like N1, N2 and the length values are implanted into the last four pixels of the cover-image to obtain the stego-image. At the recipient side, the hidden data are extracted from the stego-image after extracting N1, N2 and length information. Then, the extracted secret data is decrypted using revised RSA algorithm. Modified RSA algorithm improves the security by using two pairs of keys. At last, the various performance metrics parameters such as entropy, MSE, peak signal to noise ratio and histogram are measured. It is observed that the proposed system attains improved efficiency, security and imperceptibility properties of information hiding from the results.

This paper introduces a best approach for Least Significant Bit (LSB) based on image steganography that enhances the existing LSB substitution techniques to improve the security level of hidden information. It is a new approach to substitute LSB of RGB true color image. The new security conception hides secret information within the LSB of image where a secret key encrypts the hidden information to protect it from unauthorized users. In general, in LSB methods, hidden information is stored into a specific position of LSB of image. For this reason, knowing the retrieval methods, anyone can extract the hidden information. In our paper, hidden information is stored into different position of LSB of image depending on the secret key. As a result, it is difficult to extract the hidden information knowing the retrieval methods. We have used the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) to measure the quality of the stego images. The value of PSNR gives better result because our proposed method changes very small number of bits of the image. The obtained results show that the proposed method results in LSB based image steganography using secret key which provides good security issue and PSNR value than general LSB based image steganography methods.

A secure image steganography algorithm based on least significant bit and integer wavelet transform

In this paper, the problem of secure transmission of sensitive contents over the public network Internet is addressed by proposing a novel data hiding method in encrypted images with dual-level security. The secret information is divided into three blocks using a specific pattern, followed by an encryption mechanism based on the three-level encryption algorithm (TLEA). The input image is scrambled using a secret key, and the encrypted sub-message blocks are then embedded in the scrambled image by cyclic18 least significant bit (LSB) substitution method, utilizing LSBs and intermediate LSB planes. Furthermore, the cover image and its planes are rotated at different angles using a secret key prior to embedding, deceiving the attacker during data extraction. The usage of message blocks division, TLEA, image scrambling, and the cyclic18 LSB method results in an advanced security system, maintaining the visual transparency of resultant images and increasing the security of embedded data. In addition, employing various secret keys for image scrambling, data encryption, and data hiding using the cyclic18 LSB method makes the data recovery comparatively more challenging for attackers. Experimental results not only validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in terms of visual quality and security compared to other state-of-the-art methods, but also suggest its feasibility for secure transmission of diagnostically important keyframes to healthcare centers and gastroenterologists during wireless capsule endoscopy.