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Image Steganography report final

Machine Learning (University of Mumbai)

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A
Project Report
On

STEGANOGRAPHY USING IMAGES

This Project Documentation is submitted in partial fulfillment for the
requirement for the Degree of
Master of Information Technology

By
Muskan Nasir Bebal
Farah A.Samad Gothekar
Sarjil A.Samad Satware
Swaliha Mansoor Khanzada

Supervised by:
Prof. Raghvendra Singh

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

G. M.VEDAK COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
TALA,RAIGAD-402111

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI
ACADEMIC YEAR :2022-2023

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled “Steganography Using Image” is a

bonafide work of Bebal Muskan Nasir,Gothekar Farah A.Samad, Satware
Sarjil A.Samad and Khanzada Swaliha Mansoor, submitted to the University
of Mumbai in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the degree of
“Postgraduate(MSC)”in”Information Technology”

Prof.Raghvendra Singh External Examiner

Guide

Prof.Dayanand Mhamane Dr.Viijay Sarode

Head of Department Principal

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Declaration

I declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and
where others ideas or words have been included, I have adequately cited and
referenced the original sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all principle
of academic honesty and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or
falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my submission. I understand that any
violation of the above will be cause for disciplinary action by the Institute and
can also evoke penal action from the sources which have thus not been properly
cited or from whom proper permission has not been taken when needed.

Bebal muskan nasir _________

Gothekar Farah A.Samad ____________

Satware Sarjil A.Samad ____________

Khanzada swaliha mansoor _________

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Project Report Approval

This project report entitled “Steganography Using Image” by Bebal

Muskan Nasir, Gothekar Frah A.Samad, Satware Sarjil A.Samad and
Khanzada Swaliha Mansoor is approved for the degree of
“Postgraduate(MSC)” in “Information Technology”.

External Examiner

______________

Guide

______________

Date:

Place:

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Table of contents

Chapter 1 i

1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………… 6

1.1 Aim……………………………………………………………… 8

1.2 Objective………………………………………………………… 8

1.3 Scope……………………………………………………………. 8

1.4 Applicability…………………………………………………….. 9

Chapter 2

Literature Review…………………………………………………… 11

Chapter 3

Problem Definition………………………………………………….. 14

Chapter 4

Problem solution……………………………………………………. 18

Chapter 5

5.Process Methodology and Approach………………………………. 19

5.1 Use-case Diagram…………………………………………. 20

5.2 UML Diagram…………………………………………….. 21

5.3 Data Flow Diagram………………………………………… 22

Chapter 6

Conclusion…………………………………………………………….. 24

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
Steganography is the art of hiding and transmitting data through apparently innocuous
carriers in an effort to conceal the existence of the data, the word Steganography literally means
covered or hiding writing as derived from Greek. Steganography has its place in security. It is
not intended to replace cryptography but supplement it. [1] Hiding a message with
Steganography methods reduces the chance of a message being detected. If the message is also
encrypted then it provides another layer of protection.
The growing use of Internet needs to take attention while we send and receive personal
information in a secured manner. For this, there are many approaches that can transfer the data
into different forms so that their resultant data can be understood if it can be returned back into
its original form.
This technique is known as encryption. However, a major disadvantage of this method
is that the existence of data is not hidden. If someone gives enough time then the unreadable
encrypted data may be converted into its original form. A solution to this problem has already
been achieved by using a “steganography” technique to hide data in a cover media so that other
cannot notice it.
The characteristics of the cover media depends on the amount of data that can be hidden,
the perceptibility of the message and its robustness. In this document, I propose a new system
for hiding data stands on many methods and algorithms for image hiding where I store on data
file, called sink file in an image file called as container image. The primary objective is to use
steganography techniques so as to provide more security and simultaneously using less storage.

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Hidden information in the cover data is known as the "embedded" data and information
hiding is a general term encompassing many sub disciplines, is a term around a wide range of
problems beyond that of embedding message in content. The term hiding here can refer to
either making the information undetectable or keeping the existence of the information secret.
[1] Information hiding is a technique of hiding secret using redundant cover data such as
images, audios, movies, documents, etc. This technique has recently become important in a
number of application areas.
For example, digital video, audio, and images are increasingly embedded with
imperceptible marks, which may contain hidden signatures or watermarks that help to prevent
unauthorized copy. It is a performance that inserts secret messages into a cover file, so that the
existence of the messages is not apparent. [1] Research in information hiding has tremendous
increased during the past decade with commercial interests driving the field. Although the art
of concealment “hidden information” as old as the history, but the emergence of computer and
the evolution of sciences and techniques breathe life again in this art with the use of new ideas,
techniques, drawing on the computer characteristics in the way representation of the data, well-
known computer representation of all data including ( Multimedia) is binary these
representations are often the digital levels and areas and change values-aware of slight not
aware or felt by Means sensual of human such as hearing, sight, the advantage use of these
properties to hide data in multimedia by replace the values of these sites to the values of data
to be hidden.
Steganography is distinct from cryptography, but using both together can help improve the
security of the protected information and prevent detection of the secret communication. If
steganographically-hidden data is also encrypted, the data may still be safe from detection --
though the channel will no longer be safe from detection. There are advantages to using
steganography combined with encryption over encryption-only communication.

The primary advantage of using steganography to hide data over encryption is that it helps
obscure the fact that there is sensitive data hidden in the file or other content carrying the hidden
text. Whereas an encrypted file, message or network packet payload is clearly marked and
identifiable as such, using steganographic techniques helps to obscure the presence of the
secure channel.

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1.1 AIM:
To hide a secret message within a cover-media in such a way that others cannot discern the
presence of the hidden message.

1.2 Objective:
The objective of steganography is to hide a secret message within a cover-media in such a
way that others cannot discern the presence of the hidden message.

Image steganography is a GUI-based project in which we are hiding a secret message within
the image using encoding and decoding functions.

We are creating a window in which there are two buttons: encoding and decoding. For
encoding, select any image, this image will be converted into png format.

1.3 SCOPE:
Our project scope is developed for hiding information in any image file to ensure the safety of
exchange the data between different parties and provide better security during message
transmission.
Steganography is used to secure online privacy—the method of securing secret information in
carriers such as a video, audio, digital image. Image steganography, i.e., it takes the CI and
incorporates the confidential data into it by pixel value modifications, resulting in a steno-
image .
Steganography is a useful tool that allows covert transmission of information over an over
the communications channel.
Combining secret image with the carrier image gives the hidden image. The hidden image is
difficult to detect without retrieval.

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1.4 Applicability:
Steganography is the technique of hiding secret data within an ordinary, non-secret, file or
message in order to avoid detection; the secret data is then extracted at its destination.

The use of steganography can be combined with encryption as an extra step for hiding or
protecting data.

Steganography is an additional step that can be used in conjunction with encryption in order
to conceal or protect data.
Steganography is a means of concealing secret information within (or even on top of) an
otherwise mundane, non-secret document or other media to avoid detection

Steganography is applicable to, but not limited to, the following areas.
1) Confidential communication and secret data storing
2) Protection of data alteration
3) Access control system for digital content distribution
4) Media Database systems

The area differs in what feature of the steganography is utilized in each system.

1.4.1 Confidential communication and secret data storing

The "secrecy" of the embedded data is essential in this area.

Historically, steganography have been addressed in this area. Steganography provides us with:

(A) Potential capability to hide the existence of confidential data

(B) Hardness of detecting the hidden (i.e., embedded) data
(C) Enhancing the secrecy of the encrypted data

1.4.2 Protection of data alteration:

We take advantage of the fragility of the embedded data in this application area.
We asserted in the Home age P that "the embedded data can rather be fragile than be very
robust." Actually, embedded data are fragile in most steganography programs. Especially,
Qtech Hide & View program embeds data in an extremely fragile manner. We demonstrate this
in the other page.

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1.4.3 Access control system for digital contents distribution

In this area embedded data is "hidden", but is "explained" to publicize the content.
Today, digital contents are getting more and more commonly distributed over Internet than
before. For example, music companies release new albums on their Webpage in a free or
charged manner. However, in this case, all the contents are equally distributed to the people
who can make access to the page.
So, an ordinary Web distribution scheme is not suited for a "case-by-case" and "selective"
distribution. Of course it is always possible to attach digital contents to e-mail messages and
send them to the customers. But it will takes a lot of cost in time and labor.
If you have some valuable content, which you think it is distributable if someone really needs
it, and if it is possible to upload that content on Internet in some covert manner. And if you can
issue a special "access key" to extract the content selectively, you will be very happy about it.
A steganographic scheme can help realize this type of system.
1.4.4 Media Database systems

In this application area of steganography secrecy is not important, but unifying two types of
data into one is the most important.

Media data (photo picture, movie, music, etc.) have some association with other information.
A photo picture, for instance, may have the following.
(1) The title of the picture and some physical object information
(2) The date and the time when the picture was taken
(3) The camera and the photographer's information

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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

In the year of 2013 Soni, A.; Jain, J.; Roshan, R., The Fractional Fourier transform (FrFT),
Investigated on as a generalization of the classical Fourier transform, introduced years ago in
mathematics literature. The enhanced computation of fractional Fourier transform, the discrete
version of FrFT came into existence DFrFT. This study of illustrates the advantage of discrete
fractional Fourier transform (DFrFT) as compared to other transforms for steganography in
image processing. The result shows same PSNR in both domain (time and frequency) but
DFrFT gives an advantage of additional stego key. The order parameter of this transform. In
the year of 2013 Akhtar, N.; Johri, P.; Khan, S., implemented a variation of plain LSB (Least
Significant Bit) algorithm.
The stego-image quality has been improved by using bit-inversion technique. LSB
method improving the PSNR of stegoimage. Through storing the bit patterns for which LSBs
are inverted, image may be obtained correctly. For the improving the robustness of
steganography, RC4 algorithm had been implemented to achieve the randomization in hiding
message image bits into cover image pixels instead of storing them sequentially. This method
randomly disperses the bits of the message in the cover image and thus, harder for unauthorized
people to extract the original message. The presented method shows good enhancement to
Least Significant Bit technique in consideration to security as well as image quality. In the year
of 2013 Prabakaran, G.; Bhavani, R. and Rajeswari P.S. Investigated on Medical records are

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extremely sensitive patient information a multi secure and robustness of medical image based
steganography scheme is proposed.
This methodology provides an efficient and storage security mechanism for the
protection of digital medical images. Authors proposed a viable steganography method using
Integer Wavelet Transform to protect the MRI medical image into a single container image.
The patient's medical diagnosis image has been taken as secret image and Arnold transform
was applied and scrambled secret image was obtained. In this case, the scrambled secret image
was embedded into the dummy container image and Inverse IWT was taken to get a dummy
secret image.
It has been observed that the quality parameters are improved with acceptable PSNR
compared to the existing algorithms. In the year of 2012 Thenmozhi, S. and Chandrasekaran,
M., presented the novel scheme embeds data in integer wavelet transform coefficients by using
a cropping function in an 8×8 block on the cover image. The optimal pixel change process has
been applied after embedding the message. Authors employed the frequency domain to
increase the robustness of our steganography method. Integer wavelet transform avoid the
floating point precision problems of the wavelet filter.
Result shows that the method outperforms adaptive steganography technique based on
integer wavelet transform in terms of peak signal to noise ratio and capacity. In the year of
2012 Das, R. and Tuithung, T. proposed a novel technique for image steganography based on
Huffman Encoding. Two 8 bit gray level image of size M X N and P X Q are used as cover
image and secret image respectively. Huffman Encoding is performed over the secret
image/message before embedding and each bit of Huffman code of secret image/message is
embedded inside the cover image by altering the least significant bit (LSB) of each of the pixel's
intensities of cover image. The size of Huffman encoded bit stream and Huffman Table are
also embedded inside the cover image, in order that the StegoImage becomes standalone
information to the receiver. Results show that the algorithm has a high capacity and a good
invisibility. Moreover Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) of stego image with cover image
shows better result in comparison with other existing steganography approaches.
The satisfactory security is maintained in this research. In the year of 2012 Hemalatha,
S, Acharya, U.D. and Renuka presented integer Wavelet Transform (IWT) is used to hide the
key thus it is very secure and robust because no one can realize the hidden information and it
cannot be lost due to noise or any signal processing operations. Result shows very good Peak
Signal to Noise Ratio, which is a measure of security. In this method the secret information is
hidden in the middle bit-planes of the integer wavelet coefficients in high frequency sub-bands.
In the 2012 Reddy, H.S.M., Sathisha, N. and Kumari, A. worked on the steganography is used
to hide. Secure Steganography using Hybrid Domain Technique (SSHDT). The cover image
of different formats and sizes are considered and resized to dimensions of power of 2. The
Daubechies Lifting Wavelet Transforms (LWT) is applied on cover image to generate four sub
bands XA, XH, XV and XD. The XD band is considered and divided into two equal blocks say
upper and lower for payload embedding. The payload of different formats are considered and
resized to dimensions of power of 2. The payload is fragmented into four equal blocks.
The Decision Factor Based Manipulation (DFBM) is used to scramble further stego
object to improve security to the payload. Dubechies Inverse LWT (ILWT) is applied on XA,
XH, XV and XD stego objects to obtain stego image in spatial domain. It has been observed
that PSNR and embedding capacity of the proposed algorithm is better compared to the existing
algorithm. With the rapid development of internet and wide application of multimedia
technology, people can communicate the digital multimedia information such as digital image,
with others conveniently over the internet. In numerous cases, image data, transmitted over a

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network are expected not to be browsed or processed by illegal receivers. Consequently, the
security of digital image has attracted much attention recently and many different methods for
image encryption have been proposed, such as Optical systems are of growing interest for
image encryption because of their distinct advantages of processing 2-dimensional complex
data in parallel at high speed.
In the past, many optical methods have been proposed in . Among them the most widely
used and highly successful optical encryption scheme is double random phase encoding
proposed in . It can be shown that if these random phases are statistically independent white
noise then the encrypted image is also a stationary white noise. In some schemes , chaos based
functions are used to generate random phase mask. Such as the generalization of the
conventional Fourier transform.

The significance of network security is increased day by day as the size of data being
transferred across the Internet. This issue pushes the researchers to do many studies to increase
the ability to solve security issues. A solution for this issue is using the advantage of
cryptography and steganography combined in one system. many studies propose methods to
combine cryptography with steganography systems in one system. these methods were
deceased in previous surveys available on the topic. This survey was published in 2014, it aims
to give an overview of the method proposed to combine cryptography with steganography
systems.
In this survey, the authors introduced 12 methods which are combined steganography
and cryptography and made a comparative analysis. This comparative has been implemented
on the basis of the requirements of security i.e. authentication, confidentiality, and robustness.
Another survey was published in 2014, this survey presented many steganographic techniques
combined with cryptography, AES Algorithm, Alteration Component, Random Key
Generation, Distortion Process, Key Based Security Algorithm.
There has been a continuous rise in the number of data security threats in the recent
past and it has become a matter of concern for the security experts. Cryptography and
steganography are the best techniques to nullify this threat. The researchers today are proposing
a blended approach of both techniques because a higher level of security is achieved when both
techniques are used together.

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CHAPTER 3

PROBLEM DEFINITION

In this project, we propose to develop a system to hiding data by using

"STEGANOGRAPHY" technique as I used many methods stands on some techniques to have
at the back-end a software for hiding data based on hiding algorithms.
After studying the data hiding algorithms we found many ways to hiding data by using
the multimedia files and the main question for me was "Where hidden data hides?" as we found
by our search to know where the data hides it's important to know what is the file type of the
data that it shall be hidden and the cover file type so it is possible to alter image.

By the final of our research we developed a software uses an algorithm, to embed data
in an image; The purposed system is called "Steganography", the aim of this project is to
encrypt the data; the meaning of encrypt is to hide the data over an image using different
steganographic algorithms, in this system cryptographic is the algorithms that we use to hiding
the data.

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Cryptography can be broken down into three different types:

● Secret Key Cryptography.
● Public Key Cryptography.
● Hash Functions.

3.1 Secret Key Cryptography:

In this cryptography method (also known as symmetric-key cryptography), the single key
needed to encrypt and decrypt messages is a shared secret between the communicating parties.
The biggest problem with this method is that the secret key must be communicated through an
external mechanism separate from the communication channel over which the encrypted text
flows. In addition, secret-key systems do not support digital signatures. These limitations are
addressed in public-key cryptography (see separate entry).
Symmetric cryptography a secret key (or “private key”) is a piece of information or a
framework that is used to decrypt and encrypt messages.
In Each party to a conversation that is intended to be private possesses a common secret key.
Using the key one party sends the other a message transformed from its original (plaintext) into
its encrypted form (ciphertext) and the other party reverses this process to reveal the original,
and the process repeats. Examples of a secret key are ROT13 as agreed upon by the parties or
a cable television provider’s sending of Entitlement Management Messages (EMMs) alongside
programming. In the latter, the viewer’s set-top box contains the secret key that the cable
provider and viewer use to make the programming viewable.
A common challenge in symmetric or secret key encryption systems is agreeing upon the
private key when the parties are unable to meet in person, since someone may eavesdrop on
the key sharing discussion. For that reason, asymmetric or public-key cryptography can be used
to share a key. In asymmetric cryptography or encryption, the parties use a private key and a
public key (hence public-key cryptography [PKC] being synonymous with the asymmetric
variety).

3.2 PUBLIC KEY CRYPTOGRAPHY:

Public-key cryptography, or asymmetric cryptography, is the field of cryptographic systems
that use pairs of related keys. Each key pair consists of a public key and a corresponding private
key. Key pairs are generated with cryptographic algorithms based on mathematical problems
termed one-way functions. Security of public-key cryptography depends on keeping the private
key secret; the public key can be openly distributed without compromising security.
In a public-key encryption system, anyone with a public key can encrypt a message, yielding
a ciphertext, but only those who know the corresponding private key can decrypt the ciphertext
to obtain the original message.
For example, a journalist can publish the public key of an encryption key pair on a web site so
that sources can send secret messages to the news organization in ciphertext. Only the journalist
who knows the corresponding private key can decrypt the ciphertexts to obtain the sources'

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messages—an eavesdropper reading email on its way to the journalist can't decrypt the
ciphertexts. However, public-key encryption doesn't conceal metadata like what computer a
source used to send a message, when they sent it, or how long it is. Public-key encryption on
its own also doesn't tell the recipient anything about who sent a message—it just conceals the
content of a message in a ciphertext that can only be decrypted with the private key.

3.3 HASH FUNCTIONS:

A cryptographic hash function is an algorithm that takes an arbitrary amount of data input—a
credential—and produces a fixed-size output of enciphered text called a hash value, or just
“hash.”
That enciphered text can then be stored instead of the password itself, and later used to verify
the user.

Features of Hash Functions

The typical features of hash functions are −
● Fixed Length Output (Hash Value)
o Hash function coverts data of arbitrary length to a fixed length. This process is
often referred to as hashing the data.
o In general, the hash is much smaller than the input data, hence hash functions are
sometimes called compression functions.
o Since a hash is a smaller representation of a larger data, it is also referred to as
a digest.
o Hash function with n bit output is referred to as an n-bit hash function. Popular
hash functions generate values between 160 and 512 bits.
● Efficiency of Operation
o Generally for any hash function h with input x, computation of h(x) is a fast
operation.
o Computationally hash functions are much faster than a symmetric encryption.

Design of Hashing Algorithms

At the heart of a hashing is a mathematical function that operates on two fixed-size blocks of
data to create a hash code. This hash function forms the part of the hashing algorithm.
The size of each data block varies depending on the algorithm.
Typically the block sizes are from 128 bits to 512 bits. The following
illustration demonstrates hash function −

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Hashing algorithm involves rounds of above hash function like a block cipher. Each round
takes an input of a fixed size, typically a combination of the most recent message block and the
output of the last round.

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CHAPTER 4

PROBLEM SOLUTION

This project addresses the security problem of transmitting the data over internet network, the
main idea coming when we start asking that how can we send a message secretly to the
destination? The science of steganography answers this question. Using steganography,
information can be hidden in image. In this document, we proposed some methods and
algorithms of an image steganography system to hide a digital text of a secret message.

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CHAPTER 5

PROCESS METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH

We use python language for our project Image Steganography.
A data flow diagram (DFD) is a graphical representation of the "flow" of data through an
information system, modeling its process aspects. Often they are a preliminary step used to
create an overview of the system which can later be elaborated. DFDs can also be used for the
visualization of data processing (structured design). A DFD shows what kinds of information
will be input to and output from the system, where the data will come from and go to, and
where the data will be stored. It does not show information about the timing of processes, or
information about whether processes will operate in sequence or in parallel.

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5.1 USE CASE DIAGRAM:

Login

Select File

Media type
image file

Enter
Message

Hide message file in Encrypt

image file

Separates messages
Decrypt
image file

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5.2 UML DIAGRAM:

Stegno Extract Decrypt

Select stego
Image and
Input
User
Message

Take stego image

And message
extract
Take encrypted
Image

Display Hidden message

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5.3 DATA FLOW DIAGRAM:

Cover image IWT

1.0
Protected
fdUser Steganography
Interface Message
Data msg to be feed Model Genetic Algorithm

1.1 1.2
User
Cover image EncryMesg
Message Message
Interface
Embedding Extraction
Data msg to be feed Genetic Algorithm

Mapping
Function

RS-Analysis

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1.2.1
Stego Image 1.1.2
Divide the cover
Image Encryption Extract Transform
image into 8x8
domain
blocks

decrypted
Keys
1.1.3
Perform 2D
IWT
Extract
#
algorith
Pixel seq
m
For
extracting

encrypted

Actual Message

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Chapter 6

Conclusion:
We had studied about literature survey, Hash algorithm, and flow diagram. Hence we will
implement in next sem.

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