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Dynamic 8-bit XOR algorithm with AES crypto algorithm for image steganography

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Abstract

The proliferation of the Internet’s infrastructure, extending even to rural areas, has propelled images to the forefront of multimedia content, necessitating the need for robust methods to safeguard confidential data. Image steganography has emerged as a pivotal technique for concealing sensitive information within images, amidst growing threats to copyright protection and content integrity. To address these challenges, this research proposes a novel approach that combines the dynamic 8-bit XOR algorithm with the AES crypto algorithm, aiming to fortify the outcomes of image steganography. The method entails encrypting messages using AES encryption, followed by embedding them within images using the dynamic XOR method, ensuring both security and imperceptibility. The study’s objectives include assessing the impact of secret message size and stego image dimensions on algorithm efficiency, evaluating through metrics like PSNR, MSE, NPCR, and entropy. Notably, histogram analysis reveals minimal differences between original and stego images, underscoring the difficulty in detecting hidden information. Moreover, the study delves into the influence of secret message size on algorithm performance, highlighting a trade-off between text size and PSNR, where smaller sizes exhibit stronger concealment capabilities. Additionally, the impact of stego image dimension size is examined, revealing varied performance metrics based on different dimensions. Comparisons with existing encryption methods indicate favourable outcomes for the proposed algorithm in terms of PSNR, NPCR, and entropy. Notably, PSNR values range from 74.17 to 80.17 dB, while NPCR values vary from 87.98 to 99.81%. Moreover, MSE values range from 0.000621 to 0.04, and entropy values range from 7.39 to 7.64 dB. The study contributes valuable insights into image steganography, emphasizing the need for robust techniques to safeguard sensitive data in multimedia content. Through comprehensive evaluation and comparison, the proposed method demonstrates promising potential for real-world applications, addressing critical concerns surrounding content protection and data security in the digital age.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronics Engineering, Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University, Chennai, India

    D. Madhu & S. Vasuhi

  2. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SRM Valliammai Engineering College, Kattangkulathur, Chengalpattu, India

    A. Samydurai

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  1. D. Madhu
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  3. A. Samydurai
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D & S did the research work . A prepared paper work and supported in results . D prepared Literature survey , S prepared Introduction in paper & A prepared tables.

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Correspondence to D. Madhu.

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Madhu, D., Vasuhi, S. & Samydurai, A. Dynamic 8-bit XOR algorithm with AES crypto algorithm for image steganography. SIViP 18 (Suppl 1), 429–445 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11760-024-03165-6

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