Secure key based image realization steganography

Steganography is the science of hiding crucial information in someinnocuous objects such that the mere existence of the hidden information is unidentifiable in human sight. Various unique methodologies have been implemented over time to hide information using steganography. In most of the methodologies the exact secret information is hidden inside the cover image in a way that it is completely unrecognizable. Thus, if the embedding mechanism is compromised, there is no way that the hidden message can remain unexposed. Security of the secret information can be enhanced if the actual secret message is not embedded in the cover image at all. In this paper a novel approach to image steganography through image realization has been proposed in which, rather than sending the actual secret information some mapping information of the secret information is embedded in the stego image. The actual realization of the secret information is secured using a multi layered secure pass key.