(N, 1) secret sharing approach based on steganography with gray digital images

Abstract

We present a description of a technique to embed secret data to an image, called information hiding or stegnography. We utilize some simple observed relationships between the binary representation of a pixel, the gray code representation, and the utilization of a simple Exclusive-OR operation based upon N images available to the sender and the receiver, called the cover images. We present the algorithms for embedding the secret data in the altered, last image, N+1, called the stego image; as well as extracting this data on the receiving side. We present some experimental images utilizing two cover images, and one stego image and show that the procedure we propose has a high PSNR value, and an almost identical histogram when compared to the before stego image. We also discuss the robustness of this algorithm under attack methods such as steganalysis.