Franco Bartolini

Bio: Franco Bartolini is an academic researcher from University of Florence. The author has contributed to research in topics: Digital watermarking & Watermark. The author has an hindex of 32, co-authored 113 publications receiving 5151 citations.

Improved wavelet-based watermarking through pixel-wise masking

Abstract: A watermarking algorithm operating in the wavelet domain is presented. Performance improvement with respect to existing algorithms is obtained by means of a new approach to mask the watermark according to the characteristics of the human visual system (HVS). In contrast to conventional methods operating in the wavelet domain, masking is accomplished pixel by pixel by taking into account the texture and the luminance content of all the image subbands. The watermark consists of a pseudorandom sequence which is adaptively added to the largest detail bands. As usual, the watermark is detected by computing the correlation between the watermarked coefficients and the watermarking code, and the detection threshold is chosen in such a way that the knowledge of the watermark energy used in the embedding phase is not needed, thus permitting one to adapt it to the image at hand. Experimental results and comparisons with other techniques operating in the wavelet domain prove the effectiveness of the new algorithm.

DCT-based watermark recovering without resorting to the uncorrupted original image

Abstract: Digital watermarking has been proposed as a viable solution to the need of copyright protection and authentication of multimedia data in a networked environment, since it makes it possible to identify the author, owner, distributor or authorized consumer of a document In this paper a new watermarking technique to add a code to digital images is presented; the method operates in the frequency domain embedding a pseudo-random sequence of real numbers in a selected set of DCT coefficients Watermark casting is performed by exploiting the masking characteristics of the human visual system, to ensure watermark invisibility The embedded sequence is extracted without resorting to the original image, so that the proposed technique represents a major improvement to methods relying on the comparison between the watermarked and original images Experimental results demonstrate that the watermark is robust to most of the signal processing techniques and geometric distortions

Watermarking Systems Engineering : Enabling Digital Assets Security and Other Applications

Abstract: Introduction Applications c Information Coding Data Embedding Data Concealment Data Recovery Watermark Impairments and Benchmarking Security Issues An Information Theoretic Perspective Bibliography Index.

A new decoder for the optimum recovery of nonadditive watermarks

Abstract: Watermark detection, i.e., the detection of an invisible signal hidden within an image for copyright protection or data authentication, has classically been tackled by means of correlation-based techniques. Nevertheless, when watermark embedding does not obey an additive rule, or when the features the watermark is superimposed on do not follow a Gaussian pdf, correlation-based decoding is not the optimum choice. A new decoding algorithm is presented here which is optimum for nonadditive watermarks embedded in the magnitude of a set of full-frame DFT coefficients of the host image. By relying on statistical decision theory, the structure of the optimum is derived according to the Neyman-Pearson criterion, thus permitting to minimize the missed detection probability subject to a given false detection rate. The validity of the optimum decoder has been tested thoroughly to assess the improvement it permits to achieve from a robustness perspective. The results we obtained confirm the superiority of the novel algorithm with respect to classical correlation-based decoding.

Digital Watermarking

Abstract: Digital watermarking is a key ingredient to copyright protection. It provides a solution to illegal copying of digital material and has many other useful applications such as broadcast monitoring and the recording of electronic transactions. Now, for the first time, there is a book that focuses exclusively on this exciting technology. Digital Watermarking covers the crucial research findings in the field: it explains the principles underlying digital watermarking technologies, describes the requirements that have given rise to them, and discusses the diverse ends to which these technologies are being applied. As a result, additional groundwork is laid for future developments in this field, helping the reader understand and anticipate new approaches and applications.

Information hiding-a survey

Abstract: Information-hiding techniques have recently become important in a number of application areas. Digital audio, video, and pictures are increasingly furnished with distinguishing but imperceptible marks, which may contain a hidden copyright notice or serial number or even help to prevent unauthorized copying directly. Military communications systems make increasing use of traffic security techniques which, rather than merely concealing the content of a message using encryption, seek to conceal its sender, its receiver, or its very existence. Similar techniques are used in some mobile phone systems and schemes proposed for digital elections. Criminals try to use whatever traffic security properties are provided intentionally or otherwise in the available communications systems, and police forces try to restrict their use. However, many of the techniques proposed in this young and rapidly evolving field can trace their history back to antiquity, and many of them are surprisingly easy to circumvent. In this article, we try to give an overview of the field, of what we know, what works, what does not, and what are the interesting topics for research.

[서평]「Applied Cryptography」

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to give a comprehensive introduction to applied cryptography with an engineer or computer scientist in mind. The emphasis is on the knowledge needed to create practical systems which supports integrity, confidentiality, or authenticity. Topics covered includes an introduction to the concepts in cryptography, attacks against cryptographic systems, key use and handling, random bit generation, encryption modes, and message authentication codes. Recommendations on algorithms and further reading is given in the end of the paper. This paper should make the reader able to build, understand and evaluate system descriptions and designs based on the cryptographic components described in the paper.

Digital Watermarking and Steganography

Abstract: Digital audio, video, images, and documents are flying through cyberspace to their respective owners. Unfortunately, along the way, individuals may choose to intervene and take this content for themselves. Digital watermarking and steganography technology greatly reduces the instances of this by limiting or eliminating the ability of third parties to decipher the content that he has taken. The many techiniques of digital watermarking (embedding a code) and steganography (hiding information) continue to evolve as applications that necessitate them do the same. The authors of this second edition provide an update on the framework for applying these techniques that they provided researchers and professionals in the first well-received edition. Steganography and steganalysis (the art of detecting hidden information) have been added to a robust treatment of digital watermarking, as many in each field research and deal with the other. New material includes watermarking with side information, QIM, and dirty-paper codes. The revision and inclusion of new material by these influential authors has created a must-own book for anyone in this profession. *This new edition now contains essential information on steganalysis and steganography *New concepts and new applications including QIM introduced *Digital watermark embedding is given a complete update with new processes and applications

Information Hiding Techniques for Steganography and Digital Watermarking

Abstract: From the Publisher: Steganography, a means by which two or more parties may communicate using "invisible" or "subliminal" communication, and watermarking, a means of hiding copyright data in images, are becoming necessary components of commercial multimedia applications that are subject to illegal use. This new book is the first comprehensive survey of steganography and watermarking and their application to modern communications and multimedia. Handbook of Information Hiding: Steganography and Watermarking helps you understand steganography, the history of this previously neglected element of cryptography, the hurdles of international law on strong cryptographic techniques, a description of possible applications, and a survey of the methods you can use to hide information in modern media. Included in this discussion is an overview of "steganalysis," methods which can be used to break steganographic communication. This comprehensive resource also includes an introduction to and survey of watermarking methods, and discusses this method's similarities and differences to steganography. You gain a working knowledge of watermarking's pros and cons, and you learn the legal implications of watermarking and copyright issues on the Internet.