Security of Data Using Exclusive-Or Encryption and Modified Image Randomized Least Significant Bit Steganography Algorithms.


Secure communication over the Internet has been a global issue till date. Encryption combined with steganography tends to be the best approach to curb the challenge. This paper proposes another approach to further strengthen the existing techniques. The technique involved block encryption of plain text using image as the key and exclusive OR encryption algorithm to produce a cipher. Each bits of the cipher was hidden randomly using modulus function in a selected cover image red and blue plane. Extraction of the embedded data was also performed as well as decryption of cipher text back to plain text. Prototype algorithm was implemented using JAVA programming language and comparison of the approach was carried out based on the quality of the resultant image, the amount of data that can be hidden and the steganalytic test of cover and stego image. From the result, the approach was able to hide message up to 9% of the cover image size at good PSNR of above 60dB and the steganalytic test showed negligible difference between the cover and stego image.


 


Keywords: Encryption, exclusive-OR, LSB, randomization, steganography