Double layer security using crypto-stego techniques: a comprehensive review

Abstract

Recent advancement in the digital technology and internet has facilitated usage of multimedia objects for data communication. However, interchanging information through the internet raises several security concerns and needs to be addressed. Image steganography has gained huge attention from researchers for data security. Image steganography secures the data by imperceptibly embedding data bits into image pixels with a lesser probability of detection. Additionally, the encryption of data before embedding provides double-layer protection from the potential eavesdropper. Several steganography and cryptographic approaches have been developed so far to ensure data safety during transmission over a network. The purpose of this work is to succinctly review recent progress in the area of information security utilizing combination of cryptography and steganography (crypto-stego) methods for ensuring double layer security for covert communication. The paper highlights the pros and cons of the existing image steganography techniques and crypto-stego methods. Further, a detailed description of commonly using evaluations parameters for both steganography and cryptography, are given in this paper. Overall, this work is an attempt to create a better understanding of image steganography and its coupling with the encryption methods for developing state of art double layer security crypto-stego systems.

Dual Level Security Scheme (DLSS) Using RGB Layer Cryptography and Audio Steganography for Secret Image Transmission in Unsecure Medium

“…As the proposed method involves both the cryptographic and steganographic concepts (19,21,22) for strengthening the security, it is called Dual Level Security Scheme (DLSS). Cryptography is the process of converting the plain signal into cipher signal, on the other hand, Steganography is the process of hiding the secret signal in covering signal.…”

“…Recent researches shows transformations of secret image data aids to handle the signal (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) more efficiently and hide into cover audio signal (19) . Crypto-Stegano approaches incorporates various algorithms respectively to adapt domain secret images (21,22) . Based on the analysis of various existing approaches and recent methodologies, the secure DLSS scheme is proposed to enhance the security.…”

High Security Image Cryptographic Algorithm Using Chaotic Encryption Algorithm with Hash-LSB Steganography

“…the goal of the study in [6] is to briefly present latest evolvement within the zone of data security employing combining steganography with cryptography (crypto-stego) approaches certifying two-layer security for secret communication. The advantages and disadvantages of the present image steganography methods and crypto-stego approaches were highlighted.…”

Text Steganography Using the Second Quotient Remainder Theorem and Dark Colour Schemes

“…It is in the form of unreadable characters and suspicious code. Meanwhile, steganography is a method to hide a secret message in a particular medium, such as text, image, audio or video (Agath, Sidpara, & Upadhyay, 2018;Jan et al, 2022). The message is hidden in the cover text, and the final result of steganography is called a stego text.…”

“…Data communication over the Internet has increased significantly, resulting in high traffic and concerns about the security of transmitted data (Jan, Parah, Hussan, & Malik, 2022;Mahato, Khan, & Yadav, 2017). Moreover, information transmitted over the Internet always catches the attention of intruders, which causes the security of sensitive data (Majeed & Sulaiman, 2021;Maniriho & Ahmad, 2017), and it is a severe problem and needs to be preserved to prevent leakage (Bhat, Prabhu, & Renuka, 2017;Jan et al, 2022;Joseph & Vishnukumar, 2015). Therefore, it is necessary to protect sensitive data so irresponsible parties cannot access it (Pujari & Shinde, 2016).…”