A novel approach for the enhancement of payload capacity in pixel value differencing image steganography schemes

Abstract

Image steganography is the technique of masking secret information inside a carrier medium without disclosing the presence of the secret. Image steganography considers images to be carriers. Pixel Value Differencing (PVD) steganography is a spatial domain image steganographic technique in which secret messages are transformed into a sequence of bits, which are then concealed in the difference value of pixel intensities. The evaluation of an image steganography system typically hinges upon three pivotal metrics: hiding capacity, imperceptibility, and robustness. In this study, we aim to enhance the payload capacity of the system by modifying the pixel differences between each pair of pixels using the entropy value of the cover image. The findings from our experiments suggest a marked enhancement in payload capacity compared to the traditional PVD process, while maintaining satisfactory visual quality.