A Robust Multilayer Image Steganography Method Based on a Randomized Lsb Algorithm

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET) Volume 9, Issue 9, September 2018, pp. 272–284, Article ID: IJMET_09_09_031 Available online at https://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJMET?Volume=9&Issue=9 ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed A ROBUST MULTILAYER IMAGE STEGANOGRAPHY METHOD BASED ON A RANDOMIZED LSB ALGORITHM Saad Almutairi Faculty of Computers and Information Technology, University of Tabuk, Tabuk City, Saudia Arabi Abdulgader Almutairi College of Sciences and arts in ArRass, Qassim University, Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT Recently, the demand for the uses of the steganography techniques to exchange a hidden secret data throughout unsecure networks has increased substantially. Nonetheless, although there are many techniques and methods out there in steganography field, a further researches need to be conducted in order to come up with a new secure techniques and methods. Thus, our research proposes a new robust multilayer image steganography method called MITEGO method that is based on a randomized LSB algorithm to overcome the weaknesses of the previous related works in the field, and to provide more secure image steganography at different points. MITEGO method follows a set of rules to create a stego image object (stego file) to embed and extract a secret message based on two layers: Hardening Layer and Embed/Extract Layer. Subsequently, MiTEGOsoft software tool is developed based on MITEGO method. Finally, MITEGO method is evaluated based on experiments and analysis of corresponding results. The research calculated Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) in decibel (dB) unit by using ImageMagick software tool for each generated stego file. The obtained results are compared to the previous related works to prove the significant of our designed MITEGO method. This research achieves a significant improvement by up to 15.46% in the area of image steganography. Key words: Steganography, Image Steganography, Hiding Data, Extracting Data, LSB Algorithm, Spatial Domain, Transform Domain. Cite this Article: Saad Almutairi and Abdulgader Almutairi, A Robust Multilayer Image Steganography Method Based on a Randomized LSB Algorithm, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology 9(9), 2018, pp. 272–284. https://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJMET?Volume=9&Issue=9 https://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJMET 272 [email protected] Saad Almutairi and Abdulgader Almutairi 1. INTRODUCTION Steganography is a modern hot topic that concerned with safeguarding a secret data prior a transmission between different parties through public networks. It basically looks for hiding a secret data inside another digital object in order to hide it existence before submitting it, and thus guarding it from the potential prying eyes. In general, steganography can be classified based on four types, namely text steganography, video steganography, audio steganography, and image steganography. Since the digital images are the most common objects due to their rate of recurrence on the Internet, this research focuses on image steganography [1-3]. The steganographic techniques are categorized according to a cover object alteration during hiding a secret data into: Spatial and Transform domains techniques. The former changes the cover (carrier) object’s pixels straight when hiding a secret data inside it. Such as of spatial domains techniques are Least Significant Bit (LSB) technique, Gray-Level Modification (GLM) technique, and Pixel Value Differencing (PVD) technique. The latter uses frequencies of a cover (carrier) object to hide the secret data. The most common techniques fallen in this domain are: Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) technique, Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) technique, and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) technique [2][4- 10]. Generally, digital images involve two broad file’s formats: Raster and Vector images. Raster images contain a fixed number of rows and columns of pixels such as Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), Windows bitmap (BMP), and Portable Network Graphics (PNG). Whereas Vector images consist of points that have both direction and length, such as Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) [1][8-18]. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Our previous research in [20] outlines the mandatory optimal specifications for a secure image steganography method. Firstly, it reviewed and analyzed various related researches in the field such as [1][21-23], and eventually shaped up these mandatory optimal specifications for a secure image steganography method. This research is conducted based on our previous research in [20] to propose and design a robust multilayer image steganography method based on a randomized LSB algorithm. The research considered and fulfilled all of the optimal specifications for a secure image steganography method that are mentioned in our previous research in [20] to our new robust multilayer image steganography method based on a randomized LSB algorithm as shown in Table 1 below: Table 1 Optimal Specifications fulfillment in our new proposed MITEGO method. No. Optimal Specification in [20] Our new proposed MITEGO Method MITEGO method is designed to support a multilayer approach; 1 A multilayer approach therefore, it involves two consecutive layers: Hardening Layer and Embed/Extract Layer. MITEGO method is designed to provide a fast reasonable performance for processing image steganography by adapting spatial LSB technique to create a randomized LSB that has a fast 2 A reasonable performance performance, and avoiding transform domains techniques that cause a negative impact on performance due to their complex mathematical computations. MITEGO method proposes AES algorithm for encrypting and decrypting a secret data. Since AES uses only one private key for An encrypting a secret data prior 3 both operations: encryption and decryption, the research utilizes embedding process RSA algorithm for encrypting AES private key with RSA public key of the receiver. Therefore, the receiver needs first to decrypt the https://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJMET 273 [email protected] A Robust Multilayer Image Steganography Method Based on a Randomized LSB Algorithm encrypted AES key with his RSA private key in order to get AES key, and then use it to extract the secret data [24][25][26][27]. MITEGO method proposes a randomized LSB in order to harden the traditional LSB and derivations such as LSB1 and LSB2 methods, A secure design for embedding and which is pretty easy to recover the original message. First, it gathers 4 extracting a secret data a sender’s password, and then pass it to hash function SHA-256 in order to identify and harden random locations that carry bits of a secret data [28]. MITEGO method proposes AES algorithm for encrypting and decrypting a secret data. As well, it proposes RSA algorithm for 5 An encryption and decryption layer encrypting/decrypting and distributing AES private key with two authorized parties, in addition to the hash function SHA-256 for identifying and hardening keys and random locations. MITEGO method is designed to process and manipulate all images 6 Supporting all images sizes sizes. MITEGO method is designed to support all Raster images as input images, and save the output in Portable Network Graphics (PNG) image format. The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a preferred Supporting all images formats 7 image format in this research because is a free and open source file (Raster Images) format, a truecolor image with and without alpha channel, and provides file integrity checking, transmission errors detection and lossless compression. 3. THE PROPOSED ROBUST MULTILAYER IMAGE STEGANOGRAPHY (MITEGO) METHOD The proposed multilayer image steganography (MITEGO) method is a new robust method for multilayer image steganography, which follows a set of rules to create a stego file (image object file). In general, a stego file is produced by embedding a secret message (msg) into a cover image (c) using a password (key). MITEGO method embeds and extracts a secret message based on two subsequent layers namely, Hardening Layer and Embed/Extract Layer, as explained in Fig. 1. Figure 1 MITEGO Method Processes. https://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJMET 274 [email protected] Saad Almutairi and Abdulgader Almutairi MITEGO method embeds a secret message through two subsequent multilayer, namely Hardening Layer and Embed/Extract Layer, as shown in Fig. 1 (A) and Fig. 3 below, as follows: Hardening Layer • A sender compresses a secret message (msg) using GZIP compression’s algorithm GZIPCompress(msg) to produce a compressed message (msg1). The benefit of this step is that it reduces the secret message’s size. • Then, a sender encrypts the compressed message (msg1) using AES algorithm AESEncrypt(msg1, keySender) to produce an encrypted message (msg2), where keySender is a key chosen by the sender himself. The benefit of this step is that hardens (secures) a secret message, so that only an authorized receiver with the valid key keySender can read it. At this moment, a secret message is compressed and encrypted and then it passed to the next layer in order to embed it into a cover image (C). Embed/Extract Layer • A sender encrypts keySender using RSA algorithm with the receiver’s public key RSAEncrypt(keySender, RCVpubkey) to produce key, where RCVpubkey is a receiver’s public key. The benefit of this step is that it protects keySender, which will be sent to the receiver

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