Blind and Secured Adaptive Digital Image Watermarking Approach for High Imperceptibility and Robustness

Abstract

In the past decade, rapid development in digital communication has led to prevalent use of digital images. More importantly, confidentiality issues have also come up recently due to the increase in digital image transmission across the Internet. Therefore, it is necessary to provide high imperceptibility and security to digitally transmitted images. In this paper, a novel blind digital image watermarking scheme is introduced tackling secured transmission of digital images, which provides a higher quality regarding both imperceptibility and robustness parameters. A block based hybrid IWT- SVD transform is implemented for robust transmission of digital images. To ensure high watermark security, the watermark is encrypted using a Pseudo random key which is generated adaptively from cover and watermark images. An encrypted watermark is embedded in randomly selected low entropy blocks to increase the security as well as imperceptibility. Embedding positions within the block are identified adaptively using a Blum–Blum–Shub Pseudo random generator. To ensure higher visual quality, Initial Scaling Factor (ISF) is chosen adaptively from a cover image using image range characteristics. ISF can be optimized using Nature Inspired Optimization (NIO) techniques for higher imperceptibility and robustness. Specifically, the ISF parameter is optimized by using three well-known and novel NIO-based algorithms such as Genetic Algorithms (GA), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), and Firefly Optimization algorithm. Experiments were conducted for the proposed scheme in terms of imperceptibility, robustness, security, embedding rate, and computational time. Experimental results support higher effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Furthermore, performance comparison has been done with some of the existing state-of-the-art schemes which substantiates the improved performance of the proposed scheme.

A Hybrid Domain Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Improved Henon Map

“…However, the limitations of this algorithm include the inability to encrypt color images directly and the unsuitability for real-time confidential communications. We will extend our approach based on the ideas of the block and nature-inspired optimization techniques from the literature [ 60 ] to address these shortcomings in future research. Considering the excellent properties of hyperchaotic systems, we try to design a 2D hyperchaotic system for image encryption.…”

Hybrid chaotic map with L-shaped fractal Tromino for image encryption and decryption

“…Finally, for the permuted image, a cipher key is generated and by using a hybrid chaotic orbit, diffusion of the permuted image is performed. Thus, the output obtained at the diffusion stage is cipher image 𝑐(𝑖) which is shown in (5).…”

“…Security is one of the most vital parameters required for successfully transmitting information via the network, but is greatly impacted by increase in illegal activities pertaining to information misuse such as copying, editing [3]. The watermarking method is used for converting the image information to keep it confidential, hence making it difficult to be recognized by unauthorized persons [4], [5]. The watermarking method is known for its capability in retrieving the actual information without losing the significant data in it [6], [7].…”

A novel robust and reversible color image watermarking algorithm with adaptive block selection

“…In general, there is a conflicting relationship between these properties and it is difficult to obtain improvements at the same time, but it is an important goal to improve these properties through continuous research to make watermarking algorithms better for copyright protection. Watermarking algorithms can be divided into spatial-domain watermarking [5][6][7][8] and frequency-domain watermarking [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] depending on the embedding domain. The former modifies the spatial-domain pixel values to embed watermark information, which is computationally simple and efficient, but its robustness is mediocre because the image attack will distort the pixels directly.…”

“…For example, Rakhmawati et al [17] proposed a method for JPEG images by quantifying discrete Cosine transform (DCT) coefficients and adaptively selecting the quantization strength and coefficients to minimize total distortion caused by the embedded watermark on the host image. And Singh et al [18] proposed a method by using the initial scaling factor (ISF), the ISF is first adaptively determined by the image range characteristics of the host image and is helpful for improving the invisibility, and then is optimized by the nature inspired optimization (NIO) technique to maximize the invisibility and robustness.…”