Enhanced embedding capacity for the SMSD-based data-hiding method

• Published in: Signal processing. Image communication 2019-10, Vol.78, p.216-222
• Main Authors: Liu, Yan-Xiao, Yang, Ching-Nung, Sun, Qin-Dong, Wu, Song-Yu, Lin, Shin-Shang, Chou, Yung-Shun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Data hiding; Embedding; Embedding capacity; Enhanced MSD; Image quality; Section-wise; Sparse MSD
• ISSN: 0923-5965; 1879-2677
• DOI: 10.1016/j.image.2019.07.013

The embedding capacity and stego-image quality are two important features in data-hiding schemes. In 2016, Kuo et al. introduced sparse modified signed-digit (SMSD)-based data hiding that could embed secret data into a group of n cover-pixels. Compared with previous exploiting modification direction (EMD) and generalized EMD (GEMD)-based data hiding, SMSD data hiding has higher embedding capacity and better stego-image quality. In this paper, we introduce a new definition of the enhanced MSD (EMSD) representation and propose an EMSD-based data-hiding scheme that improves the embedding capacity of SMSD data hiding and maintains equal quality of the stego-image. In addition, the embedding capacity in the proposed scheme is further improved using the section-wise approach in EMSD data hiding. •The proposed Enhanced MSD based data hiding scheme can improve embedding capacity from previous MSD data hiding.•This data hiding scheme can enhance embedding capacity from MSD data hiding.•This data hiding scheme maintains the quality of stego-image of MSD data hiding and the better than EMD, GEMD data hiding.•This data hiding scheme is capable of resist RS steganalysis.