Embedded Semi-Fragile Signature Based Scheme for Ownership Identification and Color Image Authentication with Recovery

Authors: M. Hamad Hassan, S.A.M. Gilani

Abstract:

In this paper, a novel scheme is proposed for Ownership Identification and Color Image Authentication by deploying Cryptography & Digital Watermarking. The color image is first transformed from RGB to YST color space exclusively designed for watermarking. Followed by color space transformation, each channel is divided into 4×4 non-overlapping blocks with selection of central 2×2 sub-blocks. Depending upon the channel selected two to three LSBs of each central 2×2 sub-block are set to zero to hold the ownership, authentication and recovery information. The size & position of sub-block is important for correct localization, enhanced security & fast computation. As YS ÔèÑ T so it is suitable to embed the recovery information apart from the ownership and authentication information, therefore 4×4 block of T channel along with ownership information is then deployed by SHA160 to compute the content based hash that is unique and invulnerable to birthday attack or hash collision instead of using MD5 that may raise the condition i.e. H(m)=H(m'). For recovery, intensity mean of 4x4 block of each channel is computed and encoded upto eight bits. For watermark embedding, key based mapping of blocks is performed using 2DTorus Automorphism. Our scheme is oblivious, generates highly imperceptible images with correct localization of tampering within reasonable time and has the ability to recover the original work with probability of near one.

Keywords: Hash Collision, LSB, MD5, PSNR, SHA160

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1073064

References:

[1] Chang C.C, Hu Y.S., Lu T.C. "A Watermarking-Based Image Ownership and Tampering Authentication Scheme", Elsevier, Pattern Recognition Letters, 2005.
[2] Francesco. B., Giunta. G., Neri. A. "A New Color Space Domain for Digital Watermarking in Multimedia Applications", IEEE Trans. Image Process, 2005.
[3] Maniccam, S.S., Bourbakis, N., "Lossless Compression and Information Hiding in Images, Pattern Recognition 37 (3), pp. 475-486, 2004.
[4] http://www.rsasecurity.com
[5] B. Schneier, Applied Cryptography, John Wiley & Sons, NY, 1996.
[6] G. Voyatzis, I. Pitas, "Applications of Toral Automorphism in Image Watermarking", ICIP, Vol II, 1996, pp.237-240, 1996.
[7] Lin, C.H., Hsieh, W.S., "Applying Projection and B-Spline to Image Authentication and Remedy", IEEE Trans. Consumer Electron. 49 (4), pp. 1234-1239, 2003.
[8] Lu, C.S., Liao, H.Y.M.,"Structural Digital Signature for Image Authentication: An Incidental Distortion Resistant Scheme", IEEE Trans. Multimedia 5 (2), pp. 161-173, 2003.
[9] Barreto, P.S.L.M., Kim, H.Y., Rijmen, V., "Toward Secure Public-Key Blockwise Fragile Authentication Watermarking", IEE Proc. Vision, Image Signal Process. pp. 57-62, 2002.
[10] Celik, M.U., Sharma, G., Saber, E., Tekalp, A.M., "Hierarchical Watermarking for Secure Image Authentication with Localization, IEEE Trans. Image Process. 11 (6), pp. 585-595, 2002.
[11] Walton, S., "Information Authentication for a Slippery New Age", Dr. Dobbs Journal. 20 (4), pp. 18-26, 1995.
[12] Schyndel, R.G., Tirkel, A.Z., Osbome, C.F., "A Digital Watermark", Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, Austin, Texas, vol. 2, pp. 86-90, 1994.
[13] Wolfgang, R.B., Delp, E.J., "A watermark for Digital Images", Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, Lausanne, Switzerland, vol. 3, pp. 219-222, 1996.