LSB Image Steganography Based on Blocks Matrix Determinant Method

Abstract

Image steganography is one of the key types of steganography where a message to be sent is hidden inside the cover image. The most commonly used techniques for image steganography rely on LSB steganography. In this paper, a novel image steganography technique based on blocks matrix determinant method is proposed. Under this method, a cover image is divided into blocks of size 2 x 2 pixels and the determinant of each block is calculated. The comparison of the determinant values and corresponding data bits yields a delicate way for the embedment of data bits. The main aim of the proposed technique is to ensure concealment of secret data inside an image without affecting the cover image quality. When the proposed steganography method is compared with other existing LSB steganography methods, it is observed that it not only provides higher PSNR, lower MSE but also guarantees better quality of the stego image.