Cryptography Reference
In-Depth Information
8
Steganographic Methods Focusing on BPCS
Steganography
Hideki Noda
1
, Michiharu Niimi
1
, and Eiji Kawaguchi
2
1
Kyushu Institute of Technology, Dept. of Systems Innovation and Informatics,
680-4 Kawazu, Iizuka, 820-8502 Japan
noda@mip.ces.kyutech.ac.jp
,
niimi@mip.ces.kyutech.ac.jp
http://www.know.comp.kyutech.ac.jp/
2
KITSeniorAcademy,
Kitakyushu, Japan
e-kawagu@alto.ocn.ne.jp
Summary.
Steganography is a technique to hide secret information in some other
data (we call it a vessel) without leaving any apparent evidence of data alteration.
This chapter describes a high capacity steganographic method called bit-plane com-
plexity segmentation (BPCS) steganography. BPCS steganography usually uses an
image as the vessel data, and secret information is embedded in the bit-planes of
the vessel. This technique makes use of the characteristics of the human vision sys-
tem whereby a human cannot perceive any shape information in a very complicated
binary pattern. We can replace all of the noise-like regions in the bit-planes of the
vessel image with secret data without deteriorating image quality. The principle and
possible applications of BPCS, attacks to BPCS, and BPCS applicable to JPEG2000
images are here addressed. Additionally, histogram preserving JPEG steganography
is described, and finally experimental results are given.
8.1 Bit-Plane Complexity Segmentation (BPCS)
Steganography
Internet communication has become an integral part of the infrastructure of
todays world. In some Internet communication it is desired that the com-
munication be done in secret. Encryption provides an obvious approach to
information security, and encryption programs are readily available. However,
encryption clearly marks a message as containing interesting information,
and the encrypted message becomes subject to attack. Furthermore, in many
cases it is desirable to send information without anyone even noticing that
information has been sent.
Steganography presents another approach to information security. In
steganography, data is hidden inside a vessel or container that looks like it
