Image Steganography with Double Stegging by PVD and AES Encryption

Mustafa Badlawala

Fazeel Ansari

Department of Electronics and Telecommunication

M.H.Saboo Siddik College of Engineering
Mumbai, India
[email protected]

Department of Electronics and Telecommunication

M.H.Saboo Siddik College of Engineering
Mumbai, India
[email protected]

Ibrahim Shaikh

Nayana Chaskar

Department of Electronics and Telecommunication

M.H.Saboo Siddik College of Engineering
Mumbai, India
[email protected]

Department of Electronics and Telecommunication

M.H.Saboo Siddik College of Engineering
Mumbai, India
[email protected]

Abstract- Web is a major means for exchanging parcel of

information as pictures, content, and all interactive media.

Information security is a noteworthy worry as far as its
accessibility, privacy and confirmation objectives.
Correspondence channel security additionally assumes an
essential part, however channel can be traded off so there
is need of information security and its classification.
Pictures serve a methods for exchanging part of
information furtively. The proposed framework utilizes
Cryptography and Steganography strategies to guarantee
information trustworthiness and security. Cryptography
gives encryption of information and Steganography gives
secure exchange of correspondence of information through
transmitting media. Steganography with Double stegging
is connected for the scrambled information into a spread
media for concealing its presence.
Keywords: Steganography, Cryptography, AES Encryption,
Pixel Value Differencing (PVD), Discrete Wavelet Transform
(DWT), Double Stegging.
I.

components must be seen as that are farthest point it joins

measure of information that can be concealed in the spread
medium. Security surmises to distinguish covered information
and Robustness to the measure of progress the stego medium
can withstand before an assailant can obliterate disguised
information. Essential objective of steganography is to
Communicate securely in a way that the certifiable message is
not lucid to the observer. Using steganography a mystery
message is embedded inside a touch of unsuspicious
information and sent without anyone knowing the nearness of
the secret message. Favored experiences can be concealed
inside an extensive variety of spread information that is
content, picture, sound, video, et cetera. Most steganography
utilities hide information inside picture, as it is respectably
easy to realize pictures is for the most part used as a part of the
system or of steganography since it is hard to break.
Cryptography approach for security of secret data, where the
data will be changed over into an in decent spirits, which will
be then put out of the way into a photo. [2]

INTRODUCTION

In no time, those day's Internet has transformed into a

key medium for conveying and there is a need of security
against unsafe and unintentional attacks. So with a particular
final objective to secure protection and trustworthiness of data
against aggressors various techniques like steganography and
cryptography are used. Steganography hides the data into
spread media where cryptography encodes the data by
transforming it into a radiate position which is not
comprehensible to person. Picture steganography is the forte
of information concealed into spread picture, is the system of
disguising mystery message inside another message. The
information hiding strategy in a steganography with different
strategies fuses recognizing spread mediums redundant bits.
The supplanting thus, as to embed process makes a stego
medium the tedious bits with data from the hid message. In the
midst of the system of hiding the information three

Figure 1: Methodology
Information is hided into a picture utilizing PVD
steganography. So as to empower substantial measure of room
of information and supporting great seeing nature of the
spread picture, implanting is sent in name for by adjusting the
subtle elements coefficients in roll out incredible improvement
lands ruled over PVD.

II.

TECHNIQUES

The proposed system uses cryptographic and steganography

techniques and image segmentation with compression
techniques for implementation. The techniques used are listed
as follows:
A. Cryptography
Cryptography is the craft of ensuring the information or data
by changing over the information into an imperceptible
structure incomprehensible by individual. This kind of mixed
up information is said as "Figure Text". The procedure of
Encryption and Decryption is done on the plain content
information with utilizing a key. This procedure serves to
averts unapproved access to information of transmitted
information by means of untrusted media. [1]

AES is an iterative instead of Feistel figure. It relies on

upon 'substitutionpermutation framework'. It contains a
movement of associated operations, some of which
incorporate supplanting inputs by specific yields
(substitutions) and others incorporate modifying bits around
(permutations).Interestingly, AES performs each one of its
counts on bytes rather than bits. Hereafter, AES treats the 128
bits of a plaintext impede as 16 bytes. These 16 bytes are
composed in four segments and four sections for get ready as a
grid Unlike DES, the amount of rounds in AES is variable
and depends on upon the length of the key. AES uses 10
rounds for 128-piece keys, 12 rounds for 192-piece keys and
14 rounds for 256-piece keys. Each of these rounds uses
another 128-piece round key, which is figured from the main
AES key. [9]

The Cryptographic system should comprise of:

Authentication: The process of providing identity to
the recipient.
Integrity: Ensure that data is not modified while
transmission and reception of data.
Confidentiality: Ensure that no unauthorized access is
done to system.

Distinctive cryptography sorts are there:

Symmetric key (Secret): It utilizes single key for

encryption and unscrambling.
Asymmetric Key (Public): It utilizes two keys, one
for encryption as it is mystery to client; and another
key open to beneficiaries.

In this paper we are using Asymmetric key (Secret)

cryptography i.e. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)
algorithm.

Figure 2: Operation of AES [9]

a) Encryption Process
Here, we confine to portrayal of a common round of AES
encryption. Each round contain four sub-forms. The first
round procedure is portrayed below

1) AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)

The most standard and comprehensively used till date
symmetric encryption computation is the Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES). It is found no under six time
snappier than triple DES. A need to supplant DES was
required as its key size was too little. With extending figuring
power, it was seen as attackable against far reaching key chase
ambush. Triple DES was proposed to annihilation this
shortcoming yet it was found decently gradually. [9]
The parts of AES are according to the accompanying

Symmetric key, symmetric piece figure

128-bit information, 128/192/256-piece keys
Stronger and speedier than Triple-DES
Provide full particular and configuration subtle
elements
Software implementable in C and Java [9]

Figure 3: AES Process [9]

First Round Process

Byte Substitution (Sub Bytes)

The 16 data bytes are substituted by rotating toward the sky a
settled table (S-box) given in design. The result is in a matrix
of four lines and four fragments. [9]


Shift row
Each of the four lines of the system is moved to the other side.
Any segments that 'tumble off' are re-inserted on the right 50%
of line. Development is finished as takes after
In any case line is not moved. Second line is moved one (byte)
position to the other side. Third line is moved two positions to
the other side. Fourth line is moved three positions to the other
side. The result is another system involving the same 16 bytes
however moved with respect to each other. [9]

Mix Columns

Each segment of four bytes is in the blink of an eye changed

using an exceptional exploratory limit. This limit takes as
information the four bytes of one fragment and yields four
absolutely new bytes, which supplant the principal segment.
The result is another new grid including 16 new bytes. It
should be seen this step is not performed in the last round. [9]

Add round key

The 16 bytes of the structure are as of now considered as 128

bits and are XOR'ed to the 128 bits of the round key. In case
this is the last round then the yield is the figure content.
Something else, the ensuing 128 bits are deciphered as 16
bytes and we begin another practically identical round. [9]
b) Decryption Process
The system of unscrambling of an AES figure substance
resemble the encryption process in the opposite solicitation.
Each round involves the four methods drove in the inverse
solicitation
Add round key
Mix Column
Shift rows
Byte substitution
Since sub-shapes in each round are in reverse route, not
under any condition like for a Feistel Cipher, the
encryption and translating computations ought to be
autonomously executed, despite the way that they are
immovably related.

AES Analysis
In present day cryptography, AES is by and large grasped and
reinforced in both hardware and programming. Till date, no
sensible sepulcher diagnostic attacks against AES has been
found. Additionally, AES has worked in versatility of key
length, which allows a level of 'future-fixing' against
progression in the ability to perform exhaustive key missions.
In any case, for the most part as for DES, the AES security is
ensured just if it is successfully executed and incredible key
organization is used. [9]

2) STEGANOGRAPHY
Picture steganography is the craft of data covered up into
spread picture, is the procedure of concealing mystery
message inside another message. The word steganography in
Greek signifies "Secured Writing". The data concealing
procedure in a steganography with various systems
incorporates distinguishing spread mediums repetitive bits.
The installing process makes a stego medium by supplanting
the repetitive bits with information from the shrouded
message. Amid the procedure of concealing the data three
elements must be viewed as that are limit it incorporates
measure of data that can be covered up in the spread medium.
Security suggests to distinguish concealed data and
Robustness to the measure of change the stego medium can
withstand before an enemy can obliterate shrouded data.
3) Pixel Value Differencing
The pixel-esteem differencing (PVD) plan utilizes the
distinction esteem between two sequential pixels in a piece to
decide what number of mystery bits ought to be implanted.
There are two sorts of the quantization range table in Wu and
Tasi's technique. The first depended on selecting the reach,
widths of [8, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128], to give vast limit. The second
depended on selecting the reach widths of [2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 8, 8,
16, 16, 32, 32, 64, 64], to give high subtlety. A large portion
of the related studies concentrate on expanding the limit
utilizing LSB and the rearrangement process, so their
methodology is excessively similar, making it impossible to
the LSB approach. There are not very many studies
concentrating on the extent table outline. Plus, it is natural to
plan it by utilizing the width of the force of two. This work
plans another quantization range table taking into account the
ideal square number to choose the payload by the distinction
esteem between the back to back pixels. Our exploration gives
another perspective that in the event that we pick the best
possible width for every reach and utilize the proposed
strategy, we can get better picture amount and higher limit.
Moreover, we offer a hypothetical investigation to
demonstrate our technique is all around characterized. The
investigation comes about additionally demonstrate the
proposed plan has better picture amount and higher limit. [10]
In PVD technique pixel values in the stego picture may
surpass the faint scale range which is not appealing as it may
prompts offensive representation of the stego picture. Around
there we familiarize a system with overcome this issue. In the
proposed technique we have used the first. PVD procedure to
introduce puzzle data. If any pixel regard surpasses the
achieve (0 to 255), then check the bit stream "t" to be
concealed. If MSB (most colossal piece) of the picked bit
stream "t" is 1 then we embed one less number of bits, where
MSB position is discarded from t; for the most part the bit
number of hid data depends on upon bit. For instance, if pixel
regard surpasses the degree and picked bit stream t=101, then
set t=01 and insert it. In case it is seen that the pixel regard
again surpassing achieve, then embed the value at one pixel,
instead of both pixels(of the pixel bit), which won't surpass the

degree resulting to introducing; where the other pixel is kept

unaltered. It will keep the pixel values within the compass
because both pixels of a square can't surpass in the time as per
the PVD procedure. Keep the information within each piece,
whether one less piece is embedded or not, as overhead. [10]
Step 1: Steganography is associated with spread picture to
embed the encoded data into one of the purpose of interest
Coefficients which realizes stego-picture.
Step 2: Steganography is again associated with addition that
detail coefficient to another zone of purpose of interest
coefficient of that photo. The photo with puzzle data is then
arranged for Transmission. The extraction handle similarly
requires 2 stages for unwinding.
B. Extraction Process
It requires two periods of unraveling to recover the main
riddle data. The important period of translating is done to
recover the essential inconspicuous components coefficient
from the second purposes of interest coefficient. The second
stage unraveling incorporates recovering the principal secret
data from the principle unobtrusive components coefficient.
The advantage of this strategy is that the main spread picture
does not should be accessible on the recipient side for the
productive propagation of the principal data. In this manner,
the peril of revelation of riddle correspondence is lower.

regard then is supplanted by another value to embed the

estimation of a sub-stream of the puzzle message. The amount
of bits which can be introduced in a pixel pair is picked by the
width of the achieve that the qualification regard has a spot
with. The method is created in a way that the change is never
out of the achieve interval. This technique not simply gives a
better approach than introducing a considerable measure of
data into spread pictures with imperceptions, also offers a
basic way to deal with accomplish secret. This strategy gives a
basic way to deal with make a more vague result than those
yielded by straight forward scarcest immense piece
substitution systems.
Formula taken for calculations:
1.

Mean Square Error (MSE)

2.

Peak Signal to Noise ratio(PSNR):

Step 1: The disentangling technique is done to expel the at

first organized coefficients from the second detail coefficient.
Step 2: The second decoding incorporates extraction of riddle
data from first detail coefficient. This system consolidates
clear modulo operations of stego-picture coefficients. The last
stage at the recipient side joins the deciphering method of the
figure content by unscrambling key using AES estimation.
C. Embedding using Double Stegging
Stegnography is performed twice here. The data is at first
hided in a photo and after that for a twofold watch to the
security of that data the photo is again stegnographed in
another photo. For embeddings data figure substance is
changed over into 8-bit twofold code. This twofold code is
embedded into spread picture. It uses the way that, Human
visual system is having low affectability to little changes in
modernized data. It modifies pixel estimations of picture for
data concealing. Spread pictures is distributed nonOverlapping bits of two successive pixels. Contrast between
the two progressive pixel qualities is figured. These
refinement qualities are requested into number of compasses.
Range between times are picked by characteristics of human
vision's affectability to diminish worth assortments from
smoothness to separate. A little qualification regard exhibits
that the bit is in a smooth region and a broad one demonstrates
that the square is in an edged extent. The pixels in edged zone
can persevere through greater changes of pixel qualities than
those in the smooth domain. So we can embed more data in
the edged domains than the smooth zones. The qualification

III.

RESULTS

Below shown are some examples of steganography techniques

applied on images.

(A)

(B)

(D)

(E)

(C)

(Left to Right): (A) Cover Image, (B) Secret Image, (C)

Encrypted Image, (D) Steganography image (1 st time
stegging), (E) Double Stegged Steganography image.

More Results

E
C

(Left to Right): (A) Cover Image, (B) Secret Image, (C)

Encrypted Image, (D)Single Steganography picture (first time
stegging), (E) Double Stegged Steganography picture.
IV. ANALYSIS
Image

E
(Left to Right): (A) Cover Image, (B) Secret Image, (C)
Encrypted Image, (D) Steganography image (1 st time
stegging), (E) Double Stegged Steganography image.

Barbara
Lena
Car
Test1
Baboon

PSNR- Single
Stegging
40.9353
40.9693
40.9654
40.978
40.997
Table 1: PSNR

PSNR- Double
Stegging
194.689
195.902
197.884
192.648
193.842

200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

Barbara
Lena
Car
Test1
Baboon
PSNR- Single
Stegging

PSNR- Double
Stegging

Figure 4: Single Stegging plot

C

Image

MSE- Single
Stegging
5.20639
5.17379
5.20177
5.1864
5.2148
Table 2: MSE

Car
Baboon
Lena
Test1
Barbara

MSE- Double
Stegging
2.60418
2.7234
2.6999
2.6874
2.8834

6
5
4

Car

Baboon
Lena

Test1

Barbara

0
MSE- Single
Stegging

MSE- Double
Stegging

Figure 5: Double Stegging plot

V.

CONCLUSION

A different approach for steganography technique has been

discussed. The steganography is done using pixel value
differencing method (PVD) with AES Encryption standard.
This paper provides more accurate approach towards security
and data hiding. AES Encryption standard is presently active
security, and is used overcoming previous RSA, DES and its
variants. AES thus providing security of 3 different type of
keys as 128 bit, 192 bit and 256 bit keys thus enhancing
security of data. The steganography technique takes on hiding
data gives more and good performance than previous
techniques used like LSB. For Image segmentation DWT
(Discrete wavelength transform) is used. It segments the
image into non-overlapping structures in an image for
applying the steganography technique. The following
technique segments the image and finds out a suitable area in
an image for hiding and substitution of data by Differencing
parameter, thus overcoming the previous disadvantages of
LSB, Hash LSB those are more vulnerable to attacks. The
techniques provides good PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio),
and MSE (Mean Square Error) values required for
determining image quality. It shows the deflection of the value
from its original image value before hiding of secret data.

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