Image Steganography Using Mid Position Value

Technique
Mukherjee
Roy Sanyal
Computer Science & Engineering
Computer Science & Engineering Computer Science & Engineering
Department
Department Department
National Institute of Technology
National Institute of Technology National Institute of Technology
Durgapur
Durgapur Durgapur
Durgapur, India
Durgapur, India Durgapur, India
srilekha.mukherjee3@gmail.com
sroy@eng.ua.edu gsanyal@cse.nitdgp.ac.in
Abstract— This paper presents a steganographic approach of
concealing the secret data so as to facilitate secure
communication. Arnold transformation has been imposed on
the chosen cover image in the first stage. This results in the
scrambling of the data bits, thereby disrupting the normal
pixel orientation. Thereafter, Mid Position Value (MPV)
technique is implemented to embed data bits from the secret
image within the scrambled cover. Lastly, inverse Arnold
transformation is applied on the above image. This results in a
descrambling operation, i.e. reverting back the normal
orientation. Henceforth the stego is generated. All the
experimental results analyze the outcome of the full
methodology. For this purpose, several quantitative and
qualitative benchmark analysis pertaining to this approach
have been made. All the results show that the imperceptibility,
i.e. non- detectability of secret data is well maintained. Also
the payload is high with negligible distortion in the image
quality.
Keywords—steganography, mid position value (MPV), peak
signal to noise ratio (PSNR), similarity measure.
I. INTRODUCTION (HEADING 1)
Security issue is a rising alarm around this modern
developing globe. In this context cryptography [1] was
developed as an encryption [2] technique to secure the
contents of the confidential information. But often this is not
sufficient and it becomes necessary to keep the very
existence hidden. The purpose of steganography [3] is
actually fencing the specified concern. In this paper we have
proposed a technique to sustain the steganographic target. A
scrambling transformation has been used on the cover image
in the beginning. This is done with the incorporation of the
Arnold Transform [4] on the cover or host. A randomized
distribution of the image pixels is generated, which serves as
a carrier for the confidential data bits. The proposed Mid
Position Value (MPV) methodology facilitates the insertion
mechanism of the data bits. MPV technique speculates on the
concept of the middle position and its respective integer
values of all the dwelling pixels. This concept is used to
generate the keys, which guide the insertion pattern. With the
execution of the MPV procedure, pixel data bits get
embedded in the shuffled form of cover. Lastly, application
of inverse Arnold transform gives the required stego-image
[5].
This paper is subdivided into several sections. Section 2
contains a brief discussion of some of the related works.
Section 3 discloses the main proposed approach with all the
necessary algorithms. Section 4 comprises of the
experimental results and discussion. Section 5 infers the
conclusion along with the future work.
value differencing is proposed by Chang et al. [8]. This new
methodology performed better in terms of payload [9] and
PSNR computations. Gray Level Modification (GLM) [10],
proposed by Potder et al. is another technique which maps
data by remodeling the gray level values of the pixels
residing in the image. Specifically the gray level values of
selected pixels are compared with the secret data bits. Some
techniques of combining the PVD and GLM methods with
the aim of increasing the payload have also been proposed.
One such approach is put forward by Safarpour et al. [11].
Another effective approach is proposed by Ahmad T et al.
[12]. Here, the cover at first is split into some blocks. Later
based on certain conditions, data bits are masked in the block
edges.
III. PROPSED WORK AND ALGORITHMS
This section encircles the proposed approach in image
medium. All the steps of embedding and extraction are
shown in Fig. 1 (a) and (b) respectively. In the sender side,
the cover image is first scrambled by applying Arnold
Transformation over it. A chaotic representation of the
cover is the resultant output. This scrambled representation
serves as a layer of security since the original pixel positions
are scuffled before embedding. Bits from the secret image
are then inserted in the above transformed image. For this,
we incorporate the proposed Mid Position Value (MPV)
technique. This methodology uses the concept of the middle
position and its respective values for each of the residing
pixels. Further, resting on the specified ground, the key
values are computed. Finally, private data bits are embedded
following a certain fashion on insertion (given in Table 1).
Inverse Arnold Transformation gives back the actual stego-
image. In the receiving side, all the steps are executed in
correct sequence so as to retrieve the masked image.
The flow diagrams of the processes are shown next in fig. 1.

II. RELATED WORKS

Data hiding by LSB [6] is one of the most simple and
traditional methods. This approach works by hiding data in
the least significant bits (LSB) of the pixels. Significant
though it is but still some changes in the image may impair
the embedded data. The method of Pixel Value Differencing
(PVD) [7], proposed by Wu and Tsai is another effective
steganographic approach. It forms pixel blocks from the
cover and alters the pixel difference in each pair of blocks for
data insertion. Greater the difference more is the alteration
made. Based on PVD, another method of tri way of pixel
(a)
 f) Obtain key1 from eqn. 3
Fig. 1. (a) The process in the Sender’s side (Embedding). (b) The process in the Receiver’s side (Extraction).
key1=p(i,j)mid_value (3)
g) If key1 exceeds the total no of pixels (say ‘T’), then
A) Embedding
This stage efficiently masks the confidential data within a key1=key1%T (4)
seemingly unimportant chosen cover or host. h) Obtain a decimal (say ‘4_bit_dec’) with the
 Input a cover last_4_bits of the pixel value at p(i,j) (i.e.
 Apply Arnold Transform on it ‘pix(key)’)
 Implement Mid Position Value (MPV) i) Perform
technique to embed data
 Incorporate inverse Arnold Transform to key2=key1%(4_bit_dec_pix(key))+1 (5)
generate the Stego j) Insertion takes place in p(i,j) according to Table 1
Mid Position Value (MPV) technique (Sender) TABLE 1. CONDITIONAL TABLE OF
INSERTION/EXTRACTION STRATEGIES.
a) Take an input image (say ‘img1’)
Estimated key1 Estimated Insertion/Extraction
b) Trace the pixel positions (say ‘p(i,j)’) of ‘img1’ key2 Technique
using eqn. 1
Even Even Direct
p(i,j)=(i-1)*m+j (1) (key1%2=0) (key2%2=0) embedding/extraction
c) For each ‘p(i,j)’, estimate the number of digits (say of two bit secret data
‘total_digits’) in it Odd (key2%2! Reverse
d) Calculate the middle digit position (say =0) embedding/extraction
‘mid_position’) by the following eqn. 2 of two bit secret
mid _ position= (total _ digits / 2) +1 (2) Odd (key1%2! Even Direct two bit
=0) (key2%2=0) complementary
e) Capture the residing integer value (say embedding/extraction
‘mid_value’) in ‘mid_position’ of ‘p(i,j)’
Odd (key2%2! Reverse two bit
=0) complementary
embedding/extraction

B) Extraction
This stage extracts the masked data bits from the stego so as
to retrieve the hidden image

 Input the stego-image

 Apply Arnold Transformation on it
 Implement Mid Position Value (MPV)
receiving technique to extract data bits
 Finally, the secret image is retrieved

Mid Position Value (MPV) receiving technique

a) Take a stego image (say ‘img2’)

b) Repeat steps ‘b’ to ‘i’ from Mid Position Value
(MPV) technique (Sender)
c) Extraction of bits takes place in p(i,j) according to
Table 1
d) All the extracted data bits fill up individual eight
bit pixel arrays, generating the inserted secret
image

IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

(b)
 Cover Image Scrambled Cover Secret Intermediate Stego Stego Image
Image Image Image

Fig. 2. The sequential process of the Embedding Phase

The above Table displays the PSNR values obtained for
various methods with respect to various images. The MPV
A) Embedding capacity methodology gives moderate PSNR values which signify
Embedding capacity (may also be referred to as payload) that the imperceptibility is maintained. For some cases the
[13] is the maximum limit up to which data can be method proposed by Ahmad T et al. gives better PSNR
embedded within the carrier with no significant distortion. results than MPV approach. But in most-
of the cases, MPV outperforms the others.
TABLE 2. COMPARISON OF EMBEDDING CAPACITY
C) Similarity Measure
Image Image PVD GLM Ahmed Safarpour MPV The function used for estimating the similarity measure
size T et al. et al. [16] is computed in eqn. 8, where ‘ci’ is the cover pixels,
Lena 128x128 ** 2048 2493 3906 4096 ‘si’ is the stego pixel, c and s are the mean values of the
256x256 ** 8192 10007 15500 16384 cover and stego respectively.
512x512 50960 32768 40017 58861 65536
Pepper 128x128 ** 2048 2443 3906 4096
256x256 ** 8192 9767 15500 16384
512x512 50685 32768 39034 58861 65536

(** For PVD method, all the images that were used, are of size 512x512)
Table 2 portrays the comparative study of payload or embedding capacity.
Out of all the methods compared, the MPV approach has the maximum
capacity due to its 2 bit insertion strategy. Therefore, this serves to be an
advantage in the field of steganography. Shown next in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are the comparison of
similarity measure for various methods with respect to
B) MSE and PSNR different images
Mean squared error, i.e. MSE [14] can be calculated
from the eqn. 6, where C is the cover (consisting MxN
pixels)
and S is its generated stego.

(6)

Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) [15] is estimated from

the obtained MSE values in accordance with eqn. 7.

(7)

TABLE 3. COMPARISON OF PSNR VAUES Fig. 3. Comparison of Similarity Measure w.r.t Lena Image.

Image Image PVD GLM Ahmed Safarpour MPV

size T et al. et al.
Lena 128x128 36.20 30.50 44.30 41.02 44.55
256x256 35.00 33.20 46.80 40.80 44.67
512x512 41.79 35.50 55.00 40.05 44.88
Peppe 128x128 38.70 38.00 43.50 40.96 44.97
r 256x256 35.00 37.20 47.50 38.97 45.66
512x512 40.97 34.00 52.50 39.12 45.84

Fig. 4. Comparison of Similarity Measure w.r.t. Baboon
Image.
Fig. 5. Comparison of Similarity Measure w.r.t. Pepper
Image.
From the above figures, we can clearly see that for
all the cases, the values obtained from the MPV technique
lies very close to 1, as compared to all others. This proves
that the quality of the image is well maintained, i.e. the
cover images and their stegos are highly similar.
V. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
Steganography facilitates security for several
legitimate purposes during communication [17]. In this
paper, we have proposed a steganographic approach in
image medium which masks the secret data bits that we
want to communicate without any third party intervention.
Application of Arnold Transform on the host image layers a
level of security in the beginning of the procedure itself. The
MPV technique follows a conditional strategy while
embedding of secret data bits. Thus, the overall security
[18] is endorsed. This methodology promotes high
embedding capacity of the carrier image [19]. The
experimental results affirm that the generated stego is highly
imperceptible [20]. Therefore, it does not attract the
attention of unwanted sources. In future, this work can be
extended to accommodate more secret data bits [21] within
the carrier medium. Alongside, there must be no chances of
introducing any kind of distortion [22] within the generated
stego.
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