International Journal of Computer & Communication Engineering Research (IJCCER)
Volume 1 - Issue 3 September 2013
Extra Security Enhancement of Cryptography and
Steganography for Digital Message Hiding
Pye Pye Aung, Tun Min Naing
University of Technology (Yatanarpon Cyber City)
pyepyeaung@gmail.com, tunminnaing@gmail.com
Abstract−Cryptography and Steganography are two
popular ways of sending / hiding information in a secret way.
Cryptography hides the existence of the message and
Steganography distorts the message itself. There are many
cryptography techniques available; among them AES is one of
the most powerful techniques. In Steganography there are
various techniques in different domains like spatial domain,
frequency domain etc., to hide the message. But in frequency
domain, it is very difficult to detect hidden message and for
that we can use various transformations like DCT, FFT and
Wavelets etc. In this case study, it is developing a system where
it is developed a new technique in which Cryptography and
Steganography are used as combined part along with
developed enhanced security technique. In Cryptography, AES
algorithm is used to encrypt a message and to generate the
cipher text. In Stegnography, a part of the position points of
the digit (1) from the cipher text is hidden in DCT of an image
and is used to generate two secret keys which make this system
highly secured. This kind of system is to be introduced in
applications such as transferring secret data that can be
authentication of various fields. This system ensures a secure
data transferring option between the source and destination
stations.
Keyword: Cryptography, Steganography, Stego- Image
and DCT Coefficient.
1. INTRODUCTION
Classic methods of securing communication mainly base
on cryptography, which encrypts plain text to generate
cipher text. However, the transmission of cipher text may
easily arouse attackers’ suspicion, and the cipher text may
thus be intercepted, attacked or decrypted violently. In order
to make up for the shortcomings of cryptographic
techniques, steganography has been developed as a new
covert communication means in recent years. It transfers
message secretly by embedding it into a cover medium with
the use of information hiding techniques.
Cryptography and Steganography are two important
branches of information security. Cryptography provides
encryption techniques for a secure communication.
Cryptography is the science that studies the mathematical
techniques for keeping message secure and free from attacks
[4], [5]. Steganography is the art and science of hiding
communication [6]. Steganography involves hiding
information so it appears that no information is hidden at all.
The goal of steganography is to avoid drawing suspicion to
the transmission of the secret message. In this paper we
focus to develop one system which uses both cryptography
and steganography for high end security. The AES and DCT
algorithm are very secured techniques for cryptography and
steganography. The basic idea for the proposed system will
do on two main facts. Firstly, we will be hiding a part of the
encrypted message. And secondly, the unhidden part of the
message will be converted into three secret keys.
© http://ijccer.org e-ISSN: 2321-4198
This paper is organized in six Sections. Firstly this paper
is described the introduction of Steganography and
Cryptography techniques under the heads of Introduction in
Section-I. All this mentioned under heads of Backgrounds
in Section-II and there it is clearly pointing out the usage of
cryptography with steganography. In Section-III, the
proposed architecture and mechanism are described in
detail. Finally, this paper described the algorithm of the
proposed system and concluded and mentions its further
enhancements in Section-IV and Section-V respectively. All
used references during writing of this paper are mention in
references Section-VI.
2. BASIC CONCEPT AND RELATED WORK
There are some specific security requirements for
cryptography including authentication, privacy and
confidentially. In this paper we have used AES algorithm in
cryptography.
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a specification
for the encryption of electronic data. It has been adopted by
the U.S. government and is now used worldwide. AES is a
symmetric-key algorithm, meaning the same key is used for
both encrypting and decrypting the data. AES is the first
publicly accessible and open cipher approved by the
National Security Agency (NSA) for top secret information
when used in an NSA approved cryptographic module.
Originally called Rijndael, the cipher was developed by two
Belgian cryptographers, Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen.
AES is the name of the standard, and this standard is a
variant of Rijndael where the block size is restricted to 128
bits. Advantages of using AES are very secure, reasonable
cost, flexibility and simplicity [1].
Steganography is a tool to conceal high sensitive
information and it is an art of hiding information in a plain
sight. The word Steganography comes from the word
steganos (covered) and graptos(writing )which technically
means “covered or hidden writing”. The majority of today’s
steganographic systems uses multimedia objects like image,
audio and video etc as cover media because people often
transmit digital pictures over email and other internet
communication [2]. Depending upon the nature of cover
object, steganography can be divided into five types: Text
steganography, Image steganography, Audio steganography,
video steganography, and Protocol steganography. Some of
the steganography methods are;
(a) LSB.
(b) MASKING.
(c) FILTERING.
(d) TRANSFORM TECHNIQUE.
The best known steganographic method that works in the
frequency domain is the DCT, which can separate the Image
p-ISSN: 2321-418X Page 72
 Pye Pye Aung, et al International Journal of Computer and Communication Engineering Research [Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2013]
into High, Middle and Low Frequency components. To hide 3.3 Stego Creation Step
information we need to set a threshold value for the DCT For Stego Module the following steps are considered for
coefficients depending on the quality of the images. In this hiding the above generated Cipher text (Refer Figure3).
paper we have used DCT-frequency domain algorithm for
steganography. (a) Take the first ten allocated position points of digit
(1) from the above discussed Security Module.
3. PROPOSED COMBINING TECHNIQUE (b) Scramble the first ten allocated position points of
In this paper, the problem of unauthorized data access is digit (1) using a 64 bit key (Key 3).
minimized by combining cryptography and steganography. (c) Take a Color Image.
In cryptography this system is used AES algorithm with its (d) Find the DCT of the Image using color
symmetric key and the cipher text is converted into two transformation.
extra keys for high security, then the steganography is (e) Hide the Cipher by altering DCTs.
implemented to the key-3 to get stego image. The system is (f) Apply Inverse DCT.
designed with three creation steps to hide the text. (g) Find the Stego Image.

(a) For Cryptography – Crypto Creation Step First ten allocation

(b) For Steganography – Stego Creation Step points of digit (1) Scramble the text
Take a Color Image
(c) For Extra Securtiy – Security Creation Step from the Security using a key 3
module

3.1 Crypto Creation Step

For Crypto Module the following steps are considered for Hide the first ten
encrypting the data (Refer Figure1): allocation points of Find the DCT of
Stego Image Inverse DCT
digit (1) by altering the Image
DCT
(a) Insert text for encryption.
(b) Apply AES algorithm using 128 bit key. Figure.3: Stego Creation Step
(c) Convert cipher text into types of format
Hexadecimal, based 64 string and ASCII code 4. PROPOSED SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION
respectively. This system is developed in Visual Studio C# platform,
mainly three creation steps involved:
Convert Cipher Text into
AES Method using
Insert Text
Key1
Hexadecimal, based 64
string and ASCII code
(a) Crypto Creation Step – AES Implementation Step
(b) Security Creation Step – Newly Developed
Figure 1: Crypto Creation Step Technique
(c) Stego Creation Step – DCT Techniques
3.2 Security Creation Step Implementation Step
This module is used to modify the cipher text and to
generate two extra keys. In the reverse process it regenerates 4.1 Algorithm for the proposed system
the original cipher text (Refer Figure2). This module works The steps of the algorithm for hiding text and retrieving
as follows: text are discussed below (Refer Figure4 & Figure5)
(a) Create array and allocate all the position points of
digit (1) from the cipher text. 4.1.1 Hiding Text
(b) Remove all the positions points of digit (1) from (a) Encrypt the original message into cipher text by
the cipher text and the remaining characters and using AES algorithm with symmetric key of key 1.
digits are going to transform as modified cipher (b) Convert the cipher text into Hexadecimal format in
text. the form of alphabets (A to F) and digits (0 to 9),
(c) Remove the first ten allocated position of digit (1) Based 64 string format in the form of alphabets
among all digit (1) positions array and generate as a small letter (a to z), capital letter (A to Z), digits (0
secret key (key 2). to 9) and two arithmetic character (+/-) and ASCII
(d) Take first ten allocated position points of digit (1) code format of (256) characters respectively.
from all position points of digit (1) array and these (c) Create array and allocate all the position points of
ten digit(1) will be changed into the form of a digit (1) from converted cipher text and remove the
secret key key(3). first ten allocated points of all digit (1) positions
and then generate the key (Key 2).
Cipher Text in (d) Take the first ten allocated position points of digit
Hexadecimal, based 64
string and ASCII code (1) from array of cipher text and generate it as the
third key (Key 3); this part will be hidden in the
image.
Generate Key 2 by removing the Create array and Take first ten allocation
first ten allocation points from allocate all the positions points of digits (1) and (e) The cipher text without having digit (1) will be
the original positions of digit (1) of digit (1) from the generate as key 3 to be
array from cipher text cipher text hidden remained as modified cipher text.
(f) Hide the first ten allocated position points of digit
Generate modified cipher text (1) in the image and get Stego-Image.
without being digit (1)

Figure 2: Security Creation Step

© http://ijccer.org e-ISSN: 2321-4198 p-ISSN: 2321-418X Page 73

 Pye Pye Aung, et al International Journal of Computer and Communication Engineering Research [Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2013]
(a) AES for cryptography
Generate Cipher text (b) DCT manipulation for Steganography.
using AES algorithm

This system contains total 3 keys.

Create array and

Remove all the position points of
(a) One 128 bits symmetric key for AES algorithm
allocate all the position (b) Two 8 bits (1 byte) generated keys for scrambling
digit(1) from the original cipher
points of digit(1) from
text the cipher text and retrieving the original message.
the cipher text

These two extra generated keys make the system highly

Take first ten allocation Remaining of all allocation
points of digit (1) from points of digit (1) array after
the digit (1) array of removing the first ten points
cipher text
secured. If any kind of attacker detects the part of the hidden
message from the stego image it will be totally meaningless
and moreover until the complete set of keys are available
Key 2
getting the original message is impossible.

Key 3 5. CONCLUSION
First ten allocation points In this work, a new system is developed for the
of digit (1) combination of Cryptography and Steganography using
three keys which could be proven a highly secured method
Hide first ten allocation points for data communication in near future. Steganography,
of digit (1) in Image
especially combined with cryptography, is a powerful tool
which enables people to communicate without possible
Stego Image eavesdroppers even knowing there is a form of
communication in the first place. It can enhance
Figure 4: Proposed System for Hiding Text
confidentiality of information and provide a mean of
communicating privately. The proposed method will provide
4.1.2 Retrieving Text
acceptable image quality with very little distortion in the
(a) Retrieve the ten allocated position points of digit
image. It will produce efficient robustness of stego-image
(1) from the image and unscramble it with Key 3.
though it had been attacked by other technique. This system
(b) Add back the first ten position points of digit (1)
is to provide high security for key information exchanging.
into its all position points of digit (1) using Key 2.
(c) Add back all position points of digit (1) to the REFERENCES
modified cipher text in order to get the original
[1] Proposed System for Data Hiding Using Cryptography and
cipher text in Hexadecimal, Based 64 string and Setganography International Journal of Computer
ASCII form. Applications (0975 – 8887) Volume 8– No.9, October 2010.
(d) Regenerate the original text message from the [2] A Novel Information Security Scheme using Cryptic
cipher text with the help of AES algorithm and its Steganography B. Raja Rao et. al. / Indian Journal of
key (Key 1). Computer Science and Engineering Vol. 1 No. 4 327-332.
[3] Novel Security Scheme for Image Steganography using
Cryptography Technique, International Journal of Advanced
Key 3 Key 2 Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering,
Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2012.
[4] Domenico Daniele Bloisi , Luca Iocchi: Image based
Steganography and cryptography, Computer Vision theory
Retrieve first ten allocation Club first ten and applications volume 1 , pp. 127-134 .
Stego Image allocation points of
points of digit (1) [5] Menezes, Alfred , Paul C van Oorschot ,Scot t A. Vanstone,
digit (1) and rest of
the digit (1) array
― Handbook of Applied Cryptography. CRC Press‖, October
1996, ISBN 0-8493-8523-7.
[6] William Stallings, ―Cryptography and Network Security:
Principles and practices‖, Pearson education, Third Edit ion,
Key 2 and

Add all the position points ISBN 81-7808-902-5.

Key 3

of digit (1) to the original

cipher text

Reconstruct the
Key1
cipher text

Retrieve the
original text
message

Figure5: Proposed System for Retrieving Text

4.1.3 Security Properties of Proposed System

The proposed system is highly secure as it is a
combination of two highly secured techniques.

© http://ijccer.org e-ISSN: 2321-4198 p-ISSN: 2321-418X Page 74