College of Computer Science and Mathematics

Defense of a master’s thesis in the College of Computer Science and Mathematics about

Hybrid Method for Steganography using Quad Chain Code and Discrete

Shearlet Transform

Hybrid method of hiding information using quaternary chain code and discrete shear transformation

Thursday 14/3/2024

The thesis submitted by the student (Maha Munther Muhammad Fadel), Department of Computer Science in the field of information security, dealt with a hybrid method of hiding information using quadruple chain code and discrete cut transformation.

The study suggested a new way to hide secret messages within images by embedding secret message bits in random pixels extracted from the edges of objects in the image, not in the entire image. The secret bits were randomly distributed to provide greater security and to make hidden data more difficult to detect.

The new masking approach involves the adoption of two modern techniques, the first is to convert the image from the spatial field to a reciprocating field using Discrete Shearlet Transform (DST) to get rid of low-value edges and preserve the best properties in the image for later use, and the second is to extract the best edges from the last image using the . (QCC) Quad Chain Code to use random locations from these edges and then embed the secret message bits using an innovative masking method that ensures that confidential data is not discovered

The application was evaluated using a variety of quality metrics such as bitrate (BER) with a score of 0. The Normal Correlation Scale (NCC) achieved 0.9999 as the best value and the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) scale, which showed a match between the image before and after concealment by 0.9999. The Mean Square Error (MSE) scale was used, the best value of which was 0.02011, and the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) scale reached 82.06161 dB, which is an excellent value. The maximum time to hide the secret message was 3 milliseconds, while the highest time to extract the secret message was 13 milliseconds.

The study aims to achieve the security of information transmitted while passing through unsecured communication channels. Ensure the integrity of the data and keep it unchanged from the moment it is sent until it reaches the target recipient. Develop a modern approach that meets all the requirements of the masking system. Include as much confidential data as possible without compromising the quality of the carrier medium. Create a modern approach that is difficult for attackers to predict and analyze.

The discussion committee was headed by Prof. Dr. Dajan Bashir Taha and the membership of Prof. Dr. Yassin Hikmat Ismail and Dr. Uday Hashem Saeed and the supervision and membership of Prof. Dr. Ahmed Sami Nouri.