An Enhanced Method for Encrypting Image and Text Data Simultaneously using AES Algorithm and LSB-Based Steganography

Abstract

Secure data transmission in the virtual world is becoming increasingly difficult due to the activities of hackers on confidential and sensitive information. To avoid hacking at various levels, there exists a significant number of techniques for data transmission. Data security issues have led to developing a stronger algorithm in cryptography and steganography which have also led us to develop a secure data transmission model by concealing both image and text data simultaneously through the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm and LSB-based image steganography. To develop a robust and effective model we have followed four steps in both sender and receiver end for enhancing the data security. On the sender side, first, the targeted image is encrypted using AES then the targeted text data is concealed within the AES encrypted image based on the LSB algorithm. The data security is increased further by masking this blended text image with a cover image using LSB-based image steganography. Finally, the Stego image is split and indexed for secure data transmission from the sender end. Since decryption is the reverse mathematical process of encryption, at the receiving end, inverse steps are performed sequentially to retrieve the image and text of interest. Histogram analysis at a different stage has shown a better realization of the effect of encryption and decryption whereas various comparison indexes such as SSIM, PSNR, MS-SSIM, MSE between the original and retrieved image provide acceptable data integrity after decryption of the input data.