International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)

ISSN: 2278-3075 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-8, June 2020

Image Steganography embedded with Advance

Encryption Standard (AES) securing with
SHA-256
Vikas Singhal, Yash Kumar Shukla, Navin Prakash

Abstract- The proposed paper, works upon the idea of securing The cryptography converts the plain text into an
the classified information. This is achieved by using incomprehensible cipher text whereas steganography
steganography which is an approach to hide classified conceals the traces of the data that could be ever existed.
information into some other file while maintaining its visual aids
and secondly is cryptography which works upon textual data and
Steganography can be performed on any type of file text,
transform it in a way that no one can comprehend it. The video, audio, image, etc. any multimedia file can fall under
proposed method secures the weaker section which is the key in this category [1]. When hackers want to access a system,
Advance Encryption Standard using hashing technique. The they will aim for the weakest point, which is not the
proposed work enhances the level of concealment of information encryption, but the key. AES-256 is most secure encryption
from unauthorized access and for covert information exchange technique and till now there is no report of its cracking. But
by encrypting the data and hiding it into a multimedia file known
as image. The Secure Hash Algorithm 256 generates a hash key
the key is the weakest point it order to secure that SHA-256
of 256 bits which is an unbreakable hashing technique after that (Secure Hash Algorithm) will be used that will give a hash
the key is used in the process of encrypting the text with Advance value. Hash is not ‘encryption’ because it can never be
Encryption Standard 256 which is an unbreakable encryption decrypted back to the initial text, it a one way street. This
technique till this time and a cipher text is obtained. The cipher makes the system robust and patches the weakest link.
text is embedded into a target image using Least Significant Bit In this paper, our findings define that the system first the
method which make changes in image that cannot be understand
key will be entered and it will be hashed using Secure Hash
by naked eyes. The change in byte is 0.000002%. It ensures the
visual quality of an image remains intact. The distortion or Algorithm (SHA256) into a hash data or key which will be
change in the image remains intermittent to human eyes. The used in AES encryption where data get encrypted by the
major issue concerned for the government and security agencies help of the key, by encryption a non-understandable cipher
such as were to exchange highly classified information in a text is generated. And then this cipher text is embedded into
secure and undetectable manner and abide the notion of hacker the image using the LSB technique, and the change was into
to comprehend any such information. byte is 0.000002% which is an almost negligible and
steganographic image or target image is generated
keywords- AES, Cryptography, Image steganography, LSB, SHA- containing secret data. And invisible to naked human eyes.
256.
Hence, a secured system is created where hashing, encoding
as well as data hiding all are performed respectively. This
I. INTRODUCTION enhances the level of security in the concealment of covert
Data plays a vital role in merely each vertical or domains. data exchange and information hiding.
Data provides the next level of insight into different
verticals. The data has a versatile nature from personal to II. LITERATURE REVIEW
economic, governmental, national security, technology and The evolution in technology changes the life of mankind. As
so on. As we all know the data is the new oil so when the technology eases mankind life, it also brings a need for
storing, exchanging, and using data is done then arrives a additional security. Steganography is a mechanism of hiding
high responsibility to maintain its confidentiality, integrity, confidential and sensitive information in images to have
availability of the data. The higher the confidential secure and untraceable communication between multiple
information, higher the security is needed. From several individuals. Steganography ensures the exchange of data
years data hiding has captured the minds of security covertly using any digital communication medium, even the
agencies and researchers. Digital watermarking, filtering & toughest condition of constant monitoring. There is a
masking and other steganographic techniques are used to possibility of doing covert communication and exchange of
hide confidential data into digital images. data without being get noticed and no one can imagine the
existence of a secret message inside an image. The
Revised Manuscript Received on June 30, 2020. embedding is done by weakening some of the traits of other
* Correspondence Author media such as image, audio, video files which are also
Mr. Vikas Singhal*, Head of the Department, Department of Computer known as cover. The Final resultant has the same properties
Applications, JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida, India.
Mr. Yash Kumar Shukla, Department of Computer Applications, JSS of cover media. The cover contains the crucial secret data in
Academy of Technical Education, Noida, India. it. When a secret data is concealed inside a cover image,
Dr. Navin Prakash, Department of Computer Applications, JSS then it results in a stego image.
Academy of Technical Education, Noida, India.

© The Authors. Published by Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and

Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC
BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijitee.org 641 & Sciences Publication
 Image Steganography embedded with Advance Encryption Standard (AES) securing with
SHA-256

This paper depicts the concept of steganography and III. PROPOSED METHOD
proposed methodologies of steganographic images. SHA-
The Proposed methodology is to create a system which
256 was developed by United States National Security could be used for covert communication without any hint
Agency and then got recognized as well as published in the that some classified data is being exchanged via using image
year 2001. SHA-256 is a cryptographic hash also known as steganography and securing that data with cryptographic
the digest. It generates a unique 256-bit (32 bytes) code of a technique and even securing its vulnerable area that is key
text. A hash is not an encryption technique so, it cannot be by using hashing.
decrypted back to original data. It creates a fixed size of
code from the source text. It is a single way cryptographic A. Least Significant Bit (LSB)
function. The hash version of the text is always gets The steganography technique embeds the data into the cover
compared only, which enhances security. image or target image. This can be achieved by using
It avoids transmitting password in original view format, various steganographic techniques. From a pool of
even if the message gets intercepted between the medium or steganographic techniques I will be accomplishing this task
channel then also interceptor can never reach to the original with the usage of LSB. This technique is implemented by
password. The NIST (National institute of standard and making changes in the least significant bit (LSB) of a byte.
technology) approves that it has never been compromised LSB is a most promising steganographic technique which
[2]. The Advance Encryption Standard (AES) is a conceals the data in the image and no one can get a whisper
that the image accommodates some crucial data within it.
cryptographic algorithm which is used to encrypt the textual
LSB provides the least change in the image which is far
data in an incomprehensible manner. And it is a most
from persistent of a human naked eye. The change in a byte
secured encryption standard till now where no signs of its
is 0.000002% which is almost negligible.
breakage been reported till yet. It is a symmetric key The least significant bit of the cover image bytes is changed
algorithm, which means the same key is used for both by a bit of the classified data. LSB functions finest with 24-
encryption and decryption both. It uses a block cipher of bit map (BMP) and PNG images in which each pixel is
sizes 128, 168, 192, 224 and 256 bits. It uses several ways in constituted of 3 bytes (red, green, blue) color
AES like XOR operation, substitution, permutation respectively. LSB provides a method to store 3 bits of
operation, rows and column shifting [3]. information in a single pixel, by making a change in one

bit of each color component. Therefore, by using a 256*256

Based on table 1 and after doing a detailed study, the image, LSB can store 196608 bits (i.e. 24576 bytes) of data
proposed system technique has been chosen in order to have inside this cover image.
a robust system which in all aspect can shield the classified
information and data within it.

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
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 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-8, June 2020

The text length upto 264 bit i.e (2.3 exabyte) will also be
transformed into a digest size of 256 bits (32 bytes). 16.80
cycles per byte on 64-bit processor x86 architecture.
It has 64 iterations in one cycle. Which makes it more safe
and secure.

The table 2 contains the pixel gird of a image where each

pixel flourishes some colors. Whereas In table 3 it can be
clearly seen that the pixel grid of the cover image has been
changed in order to embed data into it. And the change in
each pixel is so nominal that it cannot be traced.
LSB makes use of lossless compression provided by PNG C. Advance Encryption Standard (AES-256)
images. consecutive bytes of the image data are used to AES is a symmetric key encryption technique, which use
embed the information, initially from the first image pixel of only one secret key to cipher(encrypt) and decipher(decrypt)
each byte of the message in respective order. Consequently, data. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is only publicly
LSB is the best way to hide data and communicate covertly accessible encryption technique authorized by the US
but if any hacker thinks that the image contains confidential National Security Agency (NSA) for securing top classified
data, and he will try to extract the crucial data from it by use secret data. AES was earlier known as Rijndael after its two
of steganalysis tools and if he is accomplishing his goal then amazing developers known, Belgian cryptographers Vincent
our crucial data is in wrong hands. It orders to achieve a Rijmen and Joan Daemen. AES-256, uses a key length of
higher level of security this proposed system is created 256 bits, it uses the largest bit length and is practically
which add on advance level of security. This add on intricate adamantine by brute force attack on the basis of current
multiple layers of imperishable security. The image computing power, which makes it the strongest encryption
constitutes of pixels that do not engage changes in the standard. The AES encryption method first performs
anatomy of the message in order to accomplish secure and substitution of data using a substitution table; which is
imperceptible communication. A steganographic technique followed by shifting of data rows, then after that mixing of
could embed an encrypted data in the cover image. the columns takes place, and finally the last transformation
The proposed method acquires LSB technique in order to with a simple exclusive (XOR) operation performed on each
replace the least significant bits in the cover image which column using a different part of the encryption key
contains bits of the hidden message. In succession to The following table shows that possible key combinations
enhance the security level of the proposed system, the covert exponentially increase with the key length. And it also
data should be encrypted using AES encryption using a key makes it hard to crack it.
which is generated using the SHA-256 hashing technique.
The proposed system ensure the difference between an
original image and a cover image which remains
imperceptible to human senses, meanwhile sustaining the
integrity of the confidential data without any loss.
B. Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-256)
The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-256) is a part of family.
The family of cryptographic hash functions which was
published by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology as a U.S. Federal Information Processing
Standard. SHA-256 is patented in US patents 6829355.
Hash is not ‘encryption’ because it can never be decrypted
back to the initial text. It is of fixed length for any varying
length of the source text. SHA-256 is achieved by the
following steps like padding, append length, divide the
input into 512bit blocks, add chaining variable, process
block respectively. SHA-256 generates a unique 256-bit or
we can say 32-byte of hash code. It does 64 rounds in order
to reach to the final hash value.

Retrieval Number: H6442069820/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijitee.org 643 & Sciences Publication
 Image Steganography embedded with Advance Encryption Standard (AES) securing with
SHA-256

The AES encryption method first performs substitution of

data using a substitution table; which is followed by shifting
of data rows, then after that mixing of the columns takes
place, and finally the last transformation with a simple
exclusive (XOR) operation performed on each column using
a different part of the encryption key. As AES is a
symmetric data encryption technique or method, the same
key is being used for both the operations encryption as well
as decryption. As a result, cipher text is obtained which is
incomprehensible. There has not been any report of
breakage of AES encryption till now. By which it adds on a
one more secure layer over the system.
The final phase is embedding the cipher text into the image
Figure 2: The Diagrammatic representation of AES-256 in order that there should be the least distortion in the image
that could not be persistent to human naked eyes. Each pixel
depicts a color, mainly it comprises of three primary
colors: Red, Green, Blue. Red, Green and Blue intensities
can vary from 0 to 255. The WHITE = (255,255,255) has
the highest value and BLACK = (0,0,0) has the lowest
value. A pixel uses 3 bytes of memory space, one for each
component that is why the maximum value is 255. A byte
consists of 8 bits, and it is represented in a binary number
(example: 1010 0101). The max. value a byte can have is
1111 1111, which is 255 in decimal number.
The cipher text gets embedded into the cover image using a
technique known as least significant bit. Least significant bit
changes only change a single bit of each color, respectively.
It means that a pixel is comprised of three colors red, blue,
green, each pixel consists of 3 bytes of information of pixel.
And in a single byte of a single color we only change the
The length of the key is of 256 bit (32 byte) so, 14 rounds of last bit of the color. It summarizes that 1 pixel contains 3
AES encryption have been performed and as a result an bits of data only, which signifies that only three characters.
incomprehensible cipher text is generated. Same key is used So, the noise in the image is least. And no change in original
in decryption process also and as a result the text is obtained and cover image can be seen. For example, the color
by running 14 rounds of decryption. All the process intensity of red is 255 and we change the last bit it value
executes in a reverse order in a way to get the plain text. become 254, there is not a major change in the intensity of
the color, thus it can’t be detected by the human eye.
IV. PHASES OF THE PROPOSED METHOD A. Algorithm For Embedding Data Into Image And
The first phase involves key generation which is done by Creating Stego-Image.
using SHA-256 a hashing technique. Hash is not Step 1 Start
‘encryption’ because it can never be decrypted back to the Step 2 Enter the text (T) of any length.
initial text. It is of fixed length for any varying length of the // User should enter classified information.
source text. SHA-256 is achieved by the following steps like Step 3 Enter the key (k) of any length.
padding, append length, divide the input into 512bit blocks, //The user need to enter a password to protects its
add chaining variable, process block respectively. SHA-256
data via encryption and decryption is done using it.
generates a unique 256-bit or we can say 32-byte of hash
Step 4 Enter the Cover image (I) with extension and path.
code. It does 64 rounds in order to reach its final hash value.
So, it is impermeable and till now there is no reporting of its //Enter the path of image file with its name which
breakage. By this, we generate the most secure key. will be hiding the classification information in it.
The second phase is converting the Plain text data into Step 5 The key (k) undergoes SHA-256 hashing technique
cipher text with the help of key. The AES encryption and a hash value (H) is obtained.
performs several transformations on data. The initial step is // A secure key is obtained which secure weaker
to put the data into an array, after which the cipher section.
transformations are repeated over a number of encryption Step 6 Hash value (H) is used as a key in AES-256
rounds. The number of time the encryption process with encryption and plain text (T) is converted into
take place one after the other or the number of rounds cipher text (CT) by using AES-256 encryption
depends upon the key length, 10 rounds mean a 128-bit algorithm.
keys, 12 rounds mean 192-bit keys and 14 rounds mean 256- Step 7 Cipher text is embedded into the image (I) using
bit keys. For the purpose of the proposed method, 14 rounds
LSB a steganographic technique and a stego-image
of transformation were endorsed resulting in a 256-bit key.
As the HASH-256 generates a hash value of 256 bit which (ST) is obtained.
will be used as a key in AES system.

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijitee.org 644 & Sciences Publication
 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-8, June 2020

// Stego-image can be shared now using any //Steganalysis is a process to recover data hidden
communication channel. data from the image.
Step 8 End Step 4 Enter the key (K) thete undergoes SHA-256
B. Algorithm For Extracting Data From Stego-Image hashing techniques and a hash value (H) is
obtained.
//A secure key is obtained by which data can be
Step 1 Start only retrieved.
Step 2 Enter the Stego image (ST) with extension and Step 5 Hash value (H) is used as a key in AES-256
path. decryption and cipher text (CT) is converted into
//Enter the path of image file with its name which plain text (T) by using AES-256 decryption
is having classified information in it. algorithm.
Step 3 Steganalysis on the Stego image (ST) is performed //Original classified information is obtained.
and cipher text (CT) is obtained. Step 6 End

Fig 3. Flowchart of proposed system (Interface Diagram)

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
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 Image Steganography embedded with Advance Encryption Standard (AES) securing with
SHA-256

Figure 4. Detailed Architecture of Proposed Method

V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULT
The proposed method has been implemented in order invent the crucial data remains stagnant. Now, if we move forward
a secure and impermeable system. And to do an analysis of to table 6 it depicts that no change in the dimension of the
the result in order to find out whether the proposed system is image is seen no matter how much amount of data been
working accordingly as per design in consideration of input into the image. Apparently, the data should always be
requirements or not. less than the capacity of the image to hold it. The major
Table 5: Original and Stegno images difference is that if the data i.e. embedded in the original
image comprises less than 1 KB then we cannot see the
difference in the size of the image. Otherwise, the size of the
image gets slightly increase as per the size of the data.

I have used python (Programming language) in order to

implement the algorithm and to create a data securing
system. And the libraries which I have used are:-

1. pycryptodome in order to perform AES (Advance

Encryption Standard) encryption and decryption.
2. Stegano in order to implement image
steganography via LSB (Least Significant Bit).
3. Hashlib in order to perform hashing via SHA-256
(Secure Hashing Algorithm).

The above table 5 depicts that no change can be seen or The screenshot of the Proposed working system
persistent to human naked eyes and we cannot find out the
difference between both the images i.e. original and stego
image. So, by this confidentiality and covertness of

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 International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
ISSN: 2278-3075 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-8, June 2020

1. Encoding 2) Retrieve Method

2. Decoding

3. Wrong Password

The above screenshot depicts that the working of the VII. RESULT ANALYSIS
proposed system is efficient and accomplish the task and By the combination of all three methods we created a robust
functionally robust. If the key is wrong the data cannot be system. The data gets encrypted by most secure
extracted from it, even if the 1st layer of protection is been cryptographic technique and then this data gets hided inside
breached by any technique and the hacker identifies the an image which leaves no mark of any classified
image contains data. Then also the data is armored with information communication taking place. As the visual aids
other layer of protection and it cannot extract data from it as remains intact. Its results can be seen in table 5 & table 6.
it is still being protected from cryptographic technique. The And the weak point that a hacker targets is also been
proposed system is robust and if a hacker tries to extract the procured which is a key by hashing technique and the
data from the image, it is shielded with hashing, encryption, utilization of that key is done in encrypting and decrypting
and image steganography. In which each technique is the data. Which adds on the layer of protection to the
impermeable and combination of all the three make it classified data. So, our goal gets achieved firstly no sign of
extremely secure. Hence, the proposed method manifest to secret communication and for safety adding more security
provide robustly and secure image steganography as well as layers on it. The data as encrypted and embedded in the
a secure and inoculative system against data hacking. image at the time of retrieval it gives the same data while
using authentic secure key.
VI. CODE
1) KeyCreation and Hide Method V. CONCLUSION
The proposed system accomplishes the task of securing the
classified information. Primarily no one gets a hint that
some crucial data is being exchanged, and secondly it also
gets shielded by using cryptography. The proposed system
successfully hides the data using image steganography via
LSB and surplus the protection of data using cryptographic
technique AES-256 as well as the weak point which a
hacker could target that is key, it has also been armored via
the use of hashing technique SHA 256. And an impenetrable
system is created. The experimentation performed assures
the concreteness of the proposed system. The results acquire
a camouflaged image, a non-noticeable distortion making it
almost non-viable to attract the consciousness of attackers
and even after getting it tranced without an authentic key no
one was able to access that information. Hence, proposed
system proves to be a highly secure system in the terms of
securing classified information and exchanging it and it also
seals up with no vulnerability in it.

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DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijitee.org 647 & Sciences Publication
 Image Steganography embedded with Advance Encryption Standard (AES) securing with
SHA-256

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AUTHORS PROFILE
Mr. Vikas Singhal, Head of the Department of
Computer Applications, JSS Academy of Technical
Education, Noida. He received his Master of Computer
Applications from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology
Bangalore. He completed his M.Tech in Information
Technology from USIT, GGSIPU, New Delhi. He is pursuing Ph.D from
IFTM University, Moradabad. His research interests are Image processing
and Machine Learning.

Mr. Yash Kumar Shukla is a bachelor’s in computer

application from Integral University. He is currently
pursuing master’s in computer application in JSS
Academy of Technical Education Noida, a prestigious
institute affiliated to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical
University, Lucknow, UP. as a final year student, he is
also associated with an Artificial Intelligence and software based
service/product company for his industrial internship and is working as a
developer intern.

Dr. Navin Prakash, received his Ph.D from IFTM

University Moradabad. His research interests are Image
processing and Machine Learning.

Retrieval Number: H6442069820/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.H6442.069820 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijitee.org 648 & Sciences Publication