Color image steganography scheme using DFT, SPIHT codec, and modified differential phase-shift keying techniques

In this research, on the basis of the differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) technique which is widely used in digital communication systems to develop a steganography scheme, we aim to hide a "secret image" into a cover image of the same size so that the resultant image has no noticeable degradation. In our approach, three strategies are used to achieve this goal: (1) Compress the secret image to reduce the number of secret bits. The set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) codec were used to obtain a high reconstructed image quality and low bit rate image compression. (2) A neighbor block signal phase comparison (NBSPC) mechanism is used to offer the location for secret data embedding. (3) A fold phase distribution differential phase-shift keying FPDPSK mechanism is used to improve the quality of the cover image. With our contribution, we have developed the fold phase distribution DPSK concept to obtain more than 1.5 dB quality improvement and twice the noise margin than the standard DPSK technique on the same test condition. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.