Steganography Combined with RKO Technique for Visual Cryptography

Abstract
Authors
Keywords
Conclusion
References

Numerous algorithms have been proposed in the fields of visual cryptography and steganography with the goals of improving security, reliability, and efficiency. Visual cryptography involves dividing the image into random shares without the use of keys. Since it can be employed by anyone without any cryptographic knowledge and does not require any computations while decrypting, many researches’ have been focused on it. Steganography is the art, science, or practice in which messages, images, or files are hidden inside other messages, images, or files. The person sending the hidden data and the person meant to receive the data are the only ones who know about it; but to everyone else, the object containing the hidden data just seems like an everyday normal object. Ultimately they both are ways of hiding data from prying eyes. This paper proposes a method to combine these two strong methodologies of keeping the image and the data secret from the prying eyes. We can develop an algorithm which uses the LSB method of steganography to hide text data inside an image, and then use that image as a secret image for visual cryptography method. The secret image with hidden data will be split up into shares using RKO technique for Visual Cryptography. Then when these shares are re-assembled or decoded to reconstruct the original image the revealed image will still contains the hidden data. The receiver then extracts the hidden data from the revealed image using reverse LSB.

Published In : IJCAT Journal Volume 1, Issue 4

Date of Publication : 31 May 2014

Pages : 32 - 36

Figures : 01

Tables : 01

Publication Link : Steganography Combined with RKO Technique for Visual Cryptography

Ms. Moushmee Kuri : has received B.E.(Computer Engg) dfrom Goa University in 1998, pursuing M. E. Compter Engg from Thadomal Shahani College of Engineering, Bandra, Mumbai, Working as Assistant Professor in Computer Dept. at Watumull Institute of Electronics Engg and Computer Technology., Worli Mumbai. She has more than 10 years of experience in teaching. Has published two papers in the field of Visual Cryptography. Her areas of interest are system Security, system programming and Image Processing.

Dr. Tanuja Sarode : has Received Bsc.(Mathematics) from Mumbai University in 1996, Bsc.Tech.(Computer Technology) from Mumbai University in 1999, M.E. (Computer Engineering) from Mumbai University in 2004, Ph.D. from Mukesh Patel School of Technology, Management and Engineering, SVKM’s NMIMS University, papers in National /International Vile-Parle (W), Mumbai, INDIA. She has more than 14 years of experience in teaching. Currently working as Associate Professor in Dept. of Computer Engineering at Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai. She is life member of IETE, member of International Association of Engineers (IAENG) and International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology (IACSIT), Singapore. Her areas of interest are Image Processing, Signal Processing and Computer Graphics. She has 55 Conferences/journal to her credit.

Steganography

Visual Cryptography

RKO techniquet

LSB technique

Alone steganography is good method to hide text in images but when steganography and Visual Cryptography are combined together, it is almost impossible for attackers to uncover hidden or encrypted data. The RKO technique used for Visual Cryptography has perfect reconstruction property, the revealed data and the cover image are exact replica of the original. This technique can be used by forensic and security investigators to hide/detect suspicious data. This technique requires less storage as there is no need to store the encryption keys and also requires less amount of computation time as there is no much complex processing. Use of Visual Cryptography makes it impossible for the attacker to even guess that the transmitted shares would contain some hidden data. And even if he somehow gets hold of any one share, it’s absolutely impossible to extract data from a single share. So we can conclude that when steganography and Visual Cryptography are combined together, it is almost impossible for attackers to uncover hidden or encrypted data. And since the RKO technique used, has perfect reconstruction property the recovered image and text are exact replicas of the original.

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