Highly secure image steganography algorithm using curvelet transform and DCT encryption

Abstract

This paper presents a highly secure data hiding system (a.k.a. Steganography) in a cover image using the low frequency Curvelet domain. The contribution of the suggested technique is its high security, because it is using four secret keys (encryption key, two shuffling keys, data hiding key) and using only the low frequency component of Curvelet domain. The use of low frequency component of Curvelet transform in steganography provides a number of advantages compared to other techniques such as: 1) Computation time reduction and, 2) Curvelet transform are designed to handle curves discontinuities using only a small number of coefficients, so hiding in the low frequency components will not affect edges coefficients, which produces better stego object quality.

Image Steganography:

“…Turning to Transform Domain approaches, the paper by Ahmed ElSayed et. al [11] demonstrates a low frequency curvelet transform method for a highly secure data concealing system under a cover picture. Only the low frequency component of the curvelet transform is used to offer strong security with the four secret keys (the two shuffle keys, the encryption key, and a key for data concealing).…”