Shahbaaz Khan

Bio: Shahbaaz Khan is an academic researcher from Aligarh Muslim University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Steganography & Least significant bit. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 144 citations.

Enhancing the Security and Quality of LSB Based Image Steganography

Abstract: This work is concerned with implementing Steganography for images, with an improvement in both security and image quality. The one that is implemented here is a variation of plain LSB (Least Significant Bit) algorithm. The stego-image quality is improved by using bit-inversion technique. In this technique, certain least significant bits of cover image are inverted after LSB steganography that co-occur with some pattern of other bits and that reduces the number of modified LSBs. Thus, less number of least significant bits of cover image is altered in comparison to plain LSB method, improving the PSNR of stegoimage. By storing the bit patterns for which LSBs are inverted, message image can be obtained correctly. To improve the robustness of steganography, RC4 algorithm has been used to achieve the randomization in hiding message image bits into cover image pixels instead of storing them sequentially. This process randomly disperses the bits of the message in the cover image and thus, making it harder for unauthorized people to extract the original message. The proposed method shows good enhancement to Least Significant Bit technique in consideration to security as well as image quality.

An improved inverted LSB image steganography

Abstract: In this paper, an improvement in the plain LSB based image steganography is proposed and implemented. The paper proposes the use of bit inversion technique to improve the stego-image quality. Two schemes of the bit inversion techniques are proposed and implemented. In these techniques, LSBs of some pixels of cover image are inverted if they occur with a particular pattern of some bits of the pixels. In this way, less number of pixels is modified in comparison to plain LSB method. So PSNR of stego-image is improved. For correct de-steganography, the bit patterns for which LSBs has inverted needs to be stored within the stego-image somewhere. The proposed bit inversion technique provides good improvement to LSB steganography. This technique could be combined with other methods to improve the steganography further.

LSB Based Quantum Image Steganography Algorithm

Abstract: Quantum steganography is the technique which hides a secret message into quantum covers such as quantum images. In this paper, two blind LSB steganography algorithms in the form of quantum circuits are proposed based on the novel enhanced quantum representation (NEQR) for quantum images. One algorithm is plain LSB which uses the message bits to substitute for the pixels’ LSB directly. The other is block LSB which embeds a message bit into a number of pixels that belong to one image block. The extracting circuits can regain the secret message only according to the stego cover. Analysis and simulation-based experimental results demonstrate that the invisibility is good, and the balance between the capacity and the robustness can be adjusted according to the needs of applications.

An improved LSB based image steganography technique for RGB images

Abstract: Steganography is the art and science of invisible communication by hiding secret information into other sources of information like text, video, audio, image etc. In image steganography the digital image is used as cover image in which we hide data and the message implanted image is called stego-image. There are number of steganography techniques proposed to hide data like LSB, DCT, pixel-value differencing, DFT etc. into images with precision level. But these techniques suffering from some problems like less hiding capacity, degrade the quality of image and security of hidden data after hiding more data into it. To overcome these problems this paper proposed an improved LSB technique for color images by embedding the information into three planes of RGB image in a way that enhances the quality of image and achieves high embedding capacity. The PSNR value of the proposed technique is better than previous steganography methods.

An improved inverted LSB image steganography

Abstract: In this paper, an improvement in the plain LSB based image steganography is proposed and implemented. The paper proposes the use of bit inversion technique to improve the stego-image quality. Two schemes of the bit inversion techniques are proposed and implemented. In these techniques, LSBs of some pixels of cover image are inverted if they occur with a particular pattern of some bits of the pixels. In this way, less number of pixels is modified in comparison to plain LSB method. So PSNR of stego-image is improved. For correct de-steganography, the bit patterns for which LSBs has inverted needs to be stored within the stego-image somewhere. The proposed bit inversion technique provides good improvement to LSB steganography. This technique could be combined with other methods to improve the steganography further.

A Comparative Study of Recent Steganography Techniques for Multiple Image Formats

Abstract: Steganography is the technique for exchanging concealed secret information in a way to avoid suspicion. The aim of Steganography is to transfer secrete message to another party by hiding the data in a cover object, so that the imposter who monitors the traffic should not distinguish between genuine secret message and the cover object. This paper presents the comparative study and performance analysis of different image Steganography methods using various types of cover media ((like BMP/JPEG/PNG etc.) with the discussion of their file formats. We also discuss the embedding domains along with a discussion on salient technical properties, applications, limitations, and Steganalysis.