STEGANOGRAPHY:-

Integrating A Secret Message Within A Picture

Malini K Bhaskaran, Bini C R
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Jyothi Engineering College
Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur
Kerala, India − 679531
Email: malinibhaskar@gmail.com, bini.robins@gmail.com

Abstract—Due to rapid advances in communication technology,
most of the information is kept electronically. Besides Cryptogra-
phy, Steganography can be employed to secure the information.
Steganography is a technique of hiding information in digital
media. It is capable of concealing the critical information in the
host JPEG image. People often transmit digital pictures over
email and other Internet communication and JPEG is one of the
most common formats for the images. A message is encrypted
using public key cryptosystem i.e. RSA. The encrypted message
has encoded in a host JPEG image. RSA public key cryptosystem
was relatively secure and very difficult to factorize the large
numbers. This Steganography technique has used to improve
the security of data in transmission over the other techniques,
provide a high information hiding capacity. This paper deals with
types and requirements of Steganography and also discusses the
messages that can be hidden in the media such as JPEG image.
I. I NTRODUCTION
Digital content is now posing formidable challenges to
content developers, aggregators, distributors and users. The de-
struction, extraction or modification of the embedded message
is required to develop more robust systems so that the digital
content processing and organization become ease. The shift
from cryptography to stegnography is due to that concealing
the image existence as stegno-images enable to embed the
secret message to cover images. Steganography conceptually
implies that the message to be transmitted is not visible to the
informal eye. Steganography has been used for thousands of
years to transmit data without being intercepted by unwanted
viewers. It is an art of hiding information inside information.
The main objective of Steganography is mainly concerned
with the protection of contents of the hidden information.
Images are ideal for information hiding because of the large
amount of redundant space is created in the storing of images.
Steganography consists of methods of transmitting secret mes-
sages. These secret messages are transferred through unknown
cover carriers in such a manner that the very existence of the
embedded messages is undetectable. Carriers include images;
audio, video, text, or any other digitally represented code or
transmission. The hidden message may be plaintext, cipher
text, or anything that can be represented as a bit stream.
II. S TEGANOGRAPHY AND E NCRYPTION
Steganogrphy not only keeps others from knowing the
hidden information, it also keeps others from thinking the
information even exists. Steganography success relies heavily
on the inexperience of the human beings. Encryption and
Steganography achieves separate goals. Encryption encodes
data to make it unusable to an unintended recipient. Instead,
the Steganographer attempts to prevent an unintended recipient
from suspecting that the data is there. Those who seek the
ultimate in private communication can combine both En-
cryption and Steganography. Encrypted data is more difficult
to differentiate than plain text that is present in the carrier
medium. Embedding data, which is to be hidden into an
image, requires two files. The first is the innocent looking
image that will hold the hidden information, called the cover
image. The second file is the message the information to be
hidden. A message may be plain text, cipher text, other image,
or anything that can be embedded in a bit stream. When
combined the cover image and the embedded message make
a stegoimage. A stegokey (password) may also be used to
hide, and then later decode, the message. Most Steganography
software neither supports nor recommends using JPEG images,
but recommends instead the use of lossless 24- bit images such
as BMP and 8- bit color images such as GIF.
III. T YPES OF S TEGANOGRAPHY
Steganography can be split into two types, these are Fragile
and Robust. The following section describes the definition of
these two different types of steganography.
A. Fragile
Fragile steganography involves embedding information into
a file which is destroyed if the file is modified. This method is
unsuitable for recording the copyright holder of the file since
it can be so easily removed, but is useful in situations where
it is important to prove that the file has not been tampered
with, such as using a file as evidence in a court of law, since
any tampering would have removed the watermark. Fragile
steganography techniques tend to be easier to implement than
robust methods.
B. Robust
Robust marking aims to embed information into a file
which cannot easily be destroyed. Although no mark is truly
indestructible, a system can be considered robust if the amount
of changes required to remove the mark would render the file
useless. Therefore the mark should be hidden in a part of the
file where its removal would be easily perceived. There are two
main types of robust marking. Fingerprinting involves hiding a
unique identifier for the customer who originally acquired the
file and therefore is allowed to use it. Should the file be found
in the possession of somebody else, the copyright owner can
use the fingerprint to identify which customer violated the
license agreement by distributing a copy of the file. Unlike
fingerprints, watermarks identify the copyright owner of the
file, not the customer. Whereas fingerprints are used to identify
people who violate the license agreement watermarks help
with prosecuting those who have an illegal copy. Ideally
fingerprinting should be used but for mass production of CDs,
DVDs, etc it is not feasible to give each disk a separate Fig. 1. Steganography
fingerprint. Watermarks are typically hidden to prevent their
detection and removal, they are said to be imperceptible
watermarks. However this need not always be the case. Visible the cover message into encoder. Inside the encoder, one or
watermarks can be used and often take the form of a visual several protocols will be implemented to embed the secret
pattern overlaid on an image. The use of visible watermarks is information into the cover message. The type of protocol will
similar to the use of watermarks in non-digital formats (such depend on what information you are typing to embed and
as the watermark on British money). what you are embedding it in. A key is often needed in the
IV. E MBEDDING DATA embedding process. This is usually in the form of a private
key so that you can encode the message with your private key
Two files are required when one wishes to hide data inside which is known only to you and the recipient can decode it
of another file. The first file required is the image that will using the same private key. This reduces the chance of a third
contain the hidden information. This file is called the cover party attacker getting hold of the object with the embedded
image. The second file required is the message file that message and decoding it to find out the secret information. A
contains the information that needs to be concealed. This key, usually produced by a random number generator is used in
hidden message can come in a number of different formats the embedding process. Having passed through the encoder, an
such as: plain text, Cipher text, other images, or anything that object with an embedded message will be produced. An object
can be embedded in a bit stream (i.e. 1s and 0s). A private such as JPEG or BMP file is the original cover object with
key (used as password to unlock the hidden data) may also the secret information embedded inside. This object looks no
be used to hide, and then later decode, the message. Most different from the original cover object or otherwise a third
software available today neither supports nor recommends party attacker might be able to detect that it has embedded
using JPEG images, but recommends instead the use of 24- bit information.
images such as BMP. The next best alternative to 24-bit images
is to use 256- color or gray- scale images for embedding V. M ATERIALS AND M ETHODS
the hidden message into. GIF files are 8 bit color images
The main goal of Steganography is to communicate securely
where each pixel is represented as a single byte and each
in a completely undetectable manner. It is not to keep other
pixel is used as a pointer to a color index table (a palette)
from knowing hidden information. Essentially, the information
with 256 possible colors. The pixels value lies between 0and
hiding process in a Steganographic system starts by identifying
255. The software simply paints the indicated color on the
a cover medium’s redundant bits (those can be modified
screen at the selected pixel position. The images of choice by
without destroying that medium’s integrity). The basics of
many Steganography experts are images featuring 256 shades
embedding a text in an image consider three major aspects,
of gray. These gray- scale images are preferred because the
such as capacity, security and robustness.
shade change very gradually from byte to byte, and the less
the value changes between palette entries, the less noticeable • Capacity refers to the amount of information that can be

image color variations are. Information can be hidden many hidden.

different ways in images. To hide information, straight mes- • Security refers to an eavesdropper’s inability to develop

sage information may encode every bit of information in the hidden information.
image or selectively embed the message in noisy areas that • Robustness refers to the amount of modification in the

draw less attention those areas where there is a great deal of Stego medium can withstand before an adversary can
natural color variation. The message may also be scattered destroy hidden information.
randomly through the image. The first step in embedding and The following things are required for embedding informa-
hiding information is to pass both the secret message and tion.
 • The information to be embedded.
• The cover image which is in the format of JPEG.
• Shared secret key is known only to the sender and the
receiver.
Least Significant bit insertion is a simple approach to embed
information in an image file. The simplest Steganographic
technique embed the bits of the message directly into least
significant bit plane does not result in human - perceptible
difference because the amplitude of the change is small.
Digital images are typically stored in either 24- bit files. A
24- bit image provides the more space for hiding information;
however it can be quite large. All the color variations for
the pixels are derived from the primary colors such as red,
green, blue and intensity value of alpha. Each primary color
is represented by 1 byte; 24- bit images use 3 bytes per pixel
to represent a color value. These 3 bytes can be represented as
hexadecimal, decimal and binary values. In many web pages,
the background color is represented by a six digit hexadecimal
number- actually three pairs representing red, green and blue.
A white background would have the value FFFFFF: 100%
red (FF), 100% green (FF), 100% blue (FF). Its decimal value
is 255,255,255 and its binary value is 11111111, 11111111,
11111111which are three bytes making up white. When con-
sidering an image in which to hide information, first consider
the image as well as the palette. Obviously, an image with
large areas of solid color is a poor choice, as variances created
from the embedded message will be noticeable in the solid
areas. Once selected a cover image, and then must decide on
a technique to hide the information want to embed. The cover
image is a JPEG image and the secret message is a cipher
text. The plain text is first encrypted using the RSA public
key cryptosystem. All the cipher text is stored in the form
of hexadecimal numbers. In RSA public key cryptosystem,
a 16 bit public and private key is used. With the encryption
method all the characters in the file is converted to 0-9 and
A-F. For embedding a single character in LSB method, 3 pixel
data is needed. We use least two significant bits to hold the
information; hence one pixel is sufficient hold one character.
Generally character is represented in ASCII that holds 8 bits.
Considerably only 6 bit are used to represent the characters
from 0 to 9. But for representing the characters A-F, 7- bit is
used. In order to convert this 7 bit to 6 bit, subtract the value
32 from A(65) to get the value of 33 which has the equivalent
character.
So each two bit in these characters is used to embed in
the red, green and blue component in the JPEG image using
least two significant bits insertion method. While extracting,
the least two significant bits are collected from each color
component in the JPEG image, converted to its equivalent
character and finally the value 32 is added to obtain the
original character. These characters are used for decryption and
the recovered plain text is obtained. In the proposed system
description, the following four methods have been attempted.
• RSA public key encryption.
• Embedding process.
• RSA public key decryption process.
VI. DIFFERENT IMAGE TECHNIQUES
This section explains the different image techniques.
A. LSB - Least Significant Bit Hiding (Image Hiding)
This method is probably the easiest way of hiding informa-
tion in an image and yet it is surprisingly effective. It works
by using the least significant bits of each pixel in one image to
hide the most significant bits of another. So in a JPEG image
for example, the following steps would need to be taken
1) First load up both the host image and the image you
need to hide.
2) Next chose the number of bits you wish to hide the
secret image in. The more bits used in the host image,
the more it deteriorates. Increasing the number of bits
used though obviously has a beneficial reaction on the
secret image increasing its clarity.
3) Now you have to create a new image by combining the
pixels from both images. If you decide for example, to
use 4 bits to hide the secret image, there will be four
bits left for the host image. (PGM - one byte per pixel,
JPEG - one byte each for red, green, blue and one byte
for alpha channel in some image types)
Host Pixel: 10110001
Secret Pixel: 00111111
New Image Pixel: 10110011
4) To get the original image back you just need to know
how many bits were used to store the secret image.
You then scan through the host image, pick out the
least significant bits according the number used and
then use them to create a new image with one change
- the bits extracted now become the most significant bits.
Host Pixel: 10110011
Bits used: 4
New Image: 00110000
To show how this technique affects images, Fig. 2 shows
examples using different bit values. Image on the left is the
host image while image on the right is the secret one we wish
to hide. This method works well when both the host and secret
images are given equal priority. When one has significantly
more room than another, quality is sacrificed. Also while in
this example an image has been hidden, the least significant
bits could be used to store text or even a small amount of
sound. All you need to do is change how the least significant
bits are filled in the host image. However this technique makes
it very easy to find and remove the hidden data.
B. Masking and filtering
Masking and filtering techniques, usually restricted to 24-
bit and gray-scale images, hide information by marking an
image, in a manner similar to paper watermarks. Watermarking
techniques may be applied without fear of image destruction

Fig. 2. LSB - Least Significant Bit Hiding (Image Hiding)
Fig. 3. Water Marking
due to lossy compression because they are more integrated
into the image.
Visible watermarks are not steganography by definition. The
difference is primarily one of intent.Traditional steganography
conceals information; watermarks extend information and be-
come an attribute of the cover image. Digital watermarks may
include such information as copyright, ownership, or license,
as shown in Fig. 3.
In steganography, the object of communication is the hidden
message. In digital watermarks, the object of communication
is the cover .To create the watermarked image in Fig 3 we
increased the luminance of the masked area by 15 percent.
If we were to change the luminance by a smaller percentage,
the mask would be undetected by the human eye. Now we
can use the watermarked image to hide plaintext or encoded
information.
Masking is more robust than LSB insertion with respect to
compression, cropping, and some image processing. Masking
technique embed information in significant areas so that the
hidden message is more integral to the cover image than just
hiding it in the ”noise” level. This makes it more suitable than
LSB with, for instance, lossy JPEG images.
VII. D IRECT C OSINE T RANSFORMATION
Another way of hiding data is by way of a direct cosine
transformation (DCT). The DCT algorithm is one of the main
components of the JPEG compression technique . This works
as follows
1) First the image is split up into 8 x 8 squares.
2) Next each of these squares is transformed via a DCT,
which outputs a multi dimensional array of 63 coeffi-
cients.
3) A quantizer rounds each of these coefficients, which
essentially is the compression stage as this is where data
is lost.
4) Small unimportant coefficients are rounded to 0 while
larger ones lose some of their precision.
5) At this stage you should have an array of streamlined co-
efficients, which are further compressed via a Huffman
encoding scheme or similar.
6) Decompression is done via an inverse DCT.
Hiding via a DCT is useful as someone who just looks at
the pixel values of the image would be unaware that anything
is amiss. Also the hidden data can be distributed more evenly
over the whole image in such a way as to make it more robust.
One technique hides data in the quantizer stage . If you wish
to encode the bit value 0 in a specific 8 x 8 square of pixels,
you can do this by making sure all the coefficients are even,
for example by tweaking them. Bit value 1 can be stored by
tweaking the coefficients so that they are odd. In this way
a large image can store some data that is quite difficult to
detect in comparison to the LSB method. This is a very simple
method and while it works well in keeping down distortions,
it is vulnerable to noise.
Other techniques, which use DCT transformations, some-
times use different algorithms for storing the bit. One uses
pseudo noise to add a watermark to the DCT coefficients while
another uses an algorithm to encode and extract a bit from
them. These other techniques are generally more complex and
are more robust than the technique described.
VIII. U SES OF S TEGANOGRAPHY
Unfortunately, Steganography can also be used for illegit-
imate reasons. For instance, if someone was trying to steal
data, they could conceal it in another file or files and send it
out in an innocent looking email or file transfer. Furthermore,
a person with a hobby of saving data in their hard drive may
choose to hide them through the use of Staganography. And,
as was pointed out in the concern for terroristic purposes, it
can be used as a means of covert communication. Of course,
this can be both a legitimate and illegitimate application.
A. Usage in modern printers
Steganography is used by some modern printers, including
HP and Xerox brand color laser printers. Tiny yellow dots are
added to each page. The dots are barely visible and contain
encoded printer serial numbers, as well as date and time
stamps.
B. Digital watermarking are required for embedding 3 bytes information. Nearly 62%
Steganography can be used for digital watermarking, where of the pixels are reduced using LS2B method. As a result in
a message (being simply an identifier) is hidden in an image a cover image more data can be embedded.
so that its source can be tracked or verified or even just to X. CONCLUSION
identify an image (as in the EURion constellation).
Watermarking is the practice of imperceptibly altering a In Steganography, cryptography is strongly used for safe
cover to embed a message in that cover- Imperceptibility: secret message transfer. The stganography holds fully en-
The modifications caused by watermarking embedding are not crypted information. Even if any hackers try to extract the
perceptible. Watermarking is inseparable from the cover in message, they are not able to identify what the message is.
which they are embedded. Unlike cryptography, watermarks Only the receiver who has the private key of RSA public key
can protect content ownership even after they are decoded. cryptosystem must know the correct information. When seeing
the stego image no one can identify the hidden information.
• Applications- Copyright protection, copy protection, con-
The stego image has no much distortion/ modification. In this
tent authentication, transaction tracking and broadcast
stego image the number characters that can be embedded
monitoring.
is equal to the size of image-1. Efforts in devising more
C. Alleged use by terrorists robust steganography are essential to ensure the survivability
When one considers that messages could be encrypted of embedded information such as copyright and licensing. It
steganographically in e-mail messages, particularly e-mail can be used as a form of secure communication between mul-
spam, the notion of junk e-mail takes on a whole new light. tiple parties. Many steganography experts recommend images
Coupled with the ”chaffing and winnowing” technique, a featuring 256 shades of grey. Gray- scale images are preferred
sender could get messages out and cover their tracks all at because the shades change very gradually from byte by byte
once. and the less the value changes between palette entries, the
In October 2001, the New York Times published an article better way to hide information. While grey- scale images may
claiming that al-Qaeda had used steganography to encode render the best results for steganography images with subtle
messages into images, and then transported these via e- color variations are highly effective.
mail and possibly via USENET to prepare and execute the
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack.
Moreover, an online ”terrorist training manual”, the ”Tech-
nical Mujahid, a Training Manual for Jihadis” contained a
section entitled ”Covert Communications and Hiding Secrets
Inside Images.
Despite this, there are no known instances of terrorists using
computer steganography. Al Qaeda’s use of steganography
is somewhat simpler: In 2008 a British Muslim, Rangzieb
Ahmed, was alleged to have a contact book with Al-Qaeda
telephone numbers, written in invisible ink. He was convicted
of terrorism.
IX. A DVANTAGES
The advantage of steganography, over cryptography alone,
is that messages do not attract attention to themselves. Plainly
visible encrypted messages-no matter how unbreakable-will
arouse suspicion, and may in themselves be incriminating
in countries where encryption is illegal. Therefore, whereas
cryptography protects the contents of a message, steganogra-
phy can be said to protect both messages and communicating
parties.Watermarks provides secuity to informations where
secrecy of embedded information needs to be assured. Mainly
two types of security are provided. They are
1) Highest level: unauthorized user can neither detect nor
extract the watermark
2) Lower level: detection of a watermark is permitted by
any user, but can’t extract without secret key; i.e. want
to copy an image into your Word document
In LSB method for embedding 3 bytes information in an
image requires 8 pixels. But in LS2B method, only 3 pixels