An LSB Data Hiding Technique Using Natural Numbers

In this paper, a novel data hiding technique is proposed, as an improvement over the Fibonacci LSB data-hiding technique proposed by Battisti et al. [1] based on decomposition of a number (pixel-value) in sum of natural numbers. This particular representation again generates a different set of (virtual) bit-planes altogether, suitable for embedding purposes. We get more bitplanes than that we get using Prime technique [2]. These bitplanes not only allow one to embed secret message in higher bitplanes but also do it without much distortion, with a much better stego-image quality, and in a reliable and secured manner, guaranteeing efficient retrieval of secret message. A comparative performance study between the classical Least Significant Bit (LSB) method, the Fibonacci LSB data-hiding technique and the proposed schemes indicate that image quality of the stego-image hidden by the technique using the natural decomposition method improves drastically against that using Prime and Fibonacci decomposition technique. Experimental results also illustrate that, the stego-image is visually indistinguishable from the original cover-image. Also we show the optimality of our technique.