This paper presents a novel, dual-layer secure steganographic system that combines hybrid cryptography and steganography to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of secret communications. Initially, the sender inputs their message and selects a cover image. The message is encrypted using a hybrid substitution (playfair cipher and columnar transposition cipher) and transposition cipher, and then embedded in randomly selected pixel positions of the image using Least Significant Bit (LSB) steganography. A position file that records these embedding locations is generated and encrypted. To obfuscate the presence of the stego-image, multiple duplicate images are created alongside the steganographic image. On the receiver's side, a ResNet50-based feature extractor followed by K-means clustering is used to identify the stego-image from the duplicates. The encrypted position file enables accurate message extraction and subsequent decryption. Experimental results show excellent performance with high imperceptibility (MSE: 0.0175, PSNR: 65.69 dB, SSIM: 0.9994) and strong resilience to brute-force and statistical steganalysis.

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Unveiling Hidden Messages in an Image Using Cryptography and Steganography

  • A. Harshavardhan,
  • Konkathi Nihal,
  • Ramini Srinidhi,
  • Konda Poojithasai,
  • Gochika Bhanu Prasad,
  • Dhanraj Sai Ganesh

摘要

This paper presents a novel, dual-layer secure steganographic system that combines hybrid cryptography and steganography to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of secret communications. Initially, the sender inputs their message and selects a cover image. The message is encrypted using a hybrid substitution (playfair cipher and columnar transposition cipher) and transposition cipher, and then embedded in randomly selected pixel positions of the image using Least Significant Bit (LSB) steganography. A position file that records these embedding locations is generated and encrypted. To obfuscate the presence of the stego-image, multiple duplicate images are created alongside the steganographic image. On the receiver's side, a ResNet50-based feature extractor followed by K-means clustering is used to identify the stego-image from the duplicates. The encrypted position file enables accurate message extraction and subsequent decryption. Experimental results show excellent performance with high imperceptibility (MSE: 0.0175, PSNR: 65.69 dB, SSIM: 0.9994) and strong resilience to brute-force and statistical steganalysis.