Hiding secret message using visual cryptography in steganography

This paper presents two layered security for data hiding by combining steganography and visual cryptography (VC). Classically, VC encrypts a secret image into noise like images called as shares and decrypts secret message by stacking of shares, whereas steganography hides secret into another image called as cover image, where only intended receiver decodes the message. Steganography often encodes secret message using secret key before hiding into another image. In this paper, cover message and encrypted secret message are encoded into noise-like shares using (2, 2) VC where concept of digital invisible ink of steganography is incorporated with VC (DIIVC) to hide secret message. Unlike typical steganography, shares are modified to conceal secret message instead of cover image. At receiver, decryption of shares using conventional VC results poor contrast cover image. Apparently, this result appears as sole secret disclosed using VC whereas only intended receiver has knowledge of secret message. Further, intended receiver retrieves encrypted secret message by applying proposed DIIVC algorithm on resultant cover image. Finally, original secret message is revealed using secret key.