{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7133484721","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","title":"Enhancing image security: a lightweight crypto-steganographic approach for optimal quality","display_name":"Enhancing image security: a lightweight crypto-steganographic approach for optimal quality","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-04","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7133484721","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","pdf_url":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S110206669","display_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","issn_l":"1380-7501","issn":["1380-7501","1573-7721"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319900","host_organization_name":"Springer Science+Business Media","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319900","https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Science+Business Media","Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"hybrid","oa_url":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4.pdf","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128045654","display_name":"Kenneth Stephen Dsa","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I164861460","display_name":"Manipal Academy of Higher Education","ror":"https://ror.org/02xzytt36","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I164861460"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Kenneth Stephen Dsa","raw_affiliation_strings":["Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I164861460"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128076742","display_name":"K Abhimanyu Kumar Patro","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I164861460","display_name":"Manipal Academy of Higher Education","ror":"https://ror.org/02xzytt36","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I164861460"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"K Abhimanyu Kumar Patro","raw_affiliation_strings":["Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7807-7874","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I164861460"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5128076742"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I164861460"],"apc_list":{"value":2890,"currency":"USD","value_usd":2890},"apc_paid":{"value":2890,"currency":"USD","value_usd":2890},"fwci":6.8119,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.95147292,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":94,"max":97},"biblio":{"volume":"85","issue":"3","first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10388","display_name":"Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques","score":0.9330000281333923,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10388","display_name":"Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques","score":0.9330000281333923,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11017","display_name":"Chaos-based Image/Signal Encryption","score":0.03819999843835831,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10901","display_name":"Advanced Data Compression Techniques","score":0.00419999985024333,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/payload","display_name":"Payload (computing)","score":0.8062999844551086},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/lossless-compression","display_name":"Lossless compression","score":0.6539999842643738},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/steganography","display_name":"Steganography","score":0.6026999950408936},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/encryption","display_name":"Encryption","score":0.5806999802589417},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/pixel","display_name":"Pixel","score":0.4602999985218048},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/huffman-coding","display_name":"Huffman coding","score":0.4496999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/key","display_name":"Key (lock)","score":0.4422999918460846},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embedding","display_name":"Embedding","score":0.4392000138759613},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cryptography","display_name":"Cryptography","score":0.42559999227523804}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8902999758720398},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C134066672","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1424639","display_name":"Payload (computing)","level":3,"score":0.8062999844551086},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C81081738","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55542","display_name":"Lossless compression","level":3,"score":0.6539999842643738},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C108801101","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15032","display_name":"Steganography","level":3,"score":0.6026999950408936},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C148730421","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141090","display_name":"Encryption","level":2,"score":0.5806999802589417},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160633673","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q355198","display_name":"Pixel","level":2,"score":0.4602999985218048},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C46900642","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2647","display_name":"Huffman coding","level":3,"score":0.4496999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.4422999918460846},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41608201","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q980509","display_name":"Embedding","level":2,"score":0.4392000138759613},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.426800012588501},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178489894","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8789","display_name":"Cryptography","level":2,"score":0.42559999227523804},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31972630","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q844240","display_name":"Computer vision","level":1,"score":0.41620001196861267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55020928","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3813865","display_name":"Image quality","level":3,"score":0.39469999074935913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C78201319","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q685727","display_name":"Grayscale","level":3,"score":0.38440001010894775},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C150817343","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q875932","display_name":"Digital watermarking","level":3,"score":0.37279999256134033},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C13481523","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q412438","display_name":"Image compression","level":4,"score":0.3686000108718872},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.3596999943256378},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C113775141","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q428691","display_name":"Computer engineering","level":1,"score":0.3571999967098236},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124101348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172491","display_name":"Data mining","level":1,"score":0.3393999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C91522604","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690110","display_name":"Color depth","level":5,"score":0.3328000009059906},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111219384","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6954384","display_name":"NIST","level":2,"score":0.33180001378059387},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777052490","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5072826","display_name":"Chaotic","level":2,"score":0.32199999690055847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11413529","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8366","display_name":"Algorithm","level":1,"score":0.32030001282691956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C42781572","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1250322","display_name":"Digital image","level":4,"score":0.3199000060558319},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C78548338","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2493","display_name":"Data compression","level":2,"score":0.2879999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C93974786","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1589480","display_name":"Ciphertext","level":3,"score":0.27730000019073486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780428219","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16952335","display_name":"Cover (algebra)","level":2,"score":0.27300000190734863},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115961682","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q860623","display_name":"Image (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.27140000462532043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C198531522","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q485146","display_name":"Sample (material)","level":2,"score":0.26499998569488525},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2961294","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q166863","display_name":"Color space","level":3,"score":0.26089999079704285},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C160086991","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5939193","display_name":"Human visual system model","level":3,"score":0.251800000667572},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C79403827","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3988","display_name":"Real-time computing","level":1,"score":0.2515000104904175},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9390403","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3966","display_name":"Computer hardware","level":1,"score":0.25040000677108765}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","pdf_url":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S110206669","display_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","issn_l":"1380-7501","issn":["1380-7501","1573-7721"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319900","host_organization_name":"Springer Science+Business Media","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319900","https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Science+Business Media","Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4","pdf_url":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11042-026-21459-4.pdf","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S110206669","display_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","issn_l":"1380-7501","issn":["1380-7501","1573-7721"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319900","host_organization_name":"Springer Science+Business Media","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319900","https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Science+Business Media","Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Multimedia Tools and Applications","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7133484721.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7133484721.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":29,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W2015304581","https://openalex.org/W2025498544","https://openalex.org/W2547857037","https://openalex.org/W2911122540","https://openalex.org/W2988795018","https://openalex.org/W2989626030","https://openalex.org/W2997570355","https://openalex.org/W3016790649","https://openalex.org/W3021470291","https://openalex.org/W3122279026","https://openalex.org/W3129118101","https://openalex.org/W3131599470","https://openalex.org/W3158286879","https://openalex.org/W3197205161","https://openalex.org/W3207551199","https://openalex.org/W4210851952","https://openalex.org/W4229054403","https://openalex.org/W4285239600","https://openalex.org/W4296713465","https://openalex.org/W4306403245","https://openalex.org/W4312549659","https://openalex.org/W4381736596","https://openalex.org/W4386374665","https://openalex.org/W4387757584","https://openalex.org/W4387971529","https://openalex.org/W4389834721","https://openalex.org/W4402447877","https://openalex.org/W4403614105","https://openalex.org/W4406017130"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Abstract":[0],"With":[1],"the":[2,7,70,113,124,207,229,269],"omnipresence":[3],"of":[4,23,69,127,145,152,199,216,253],"digital":[5],"interaction,":[6],"need":[8],"to":[9,36,54,83,148,242],"secure":[10],"sensitive":[11],"information":[12],"has":[13,18],"increased":[14,90],"tremendously.":[15],"Hence,":[16],"crypto-steganography":[17],"become":[19],"an":[20,134],"integral":[21],"part":[22],"secret":[24],"communication":[25],"in":[26,33,40,48],"various":[27],"applications,":[28],"ranging":[29],"from":[30],"image":[31,61,290],"confidentiality":[32],"medical":[34],"informatics":[35],"secured":[37],"data":[38],"transfer":[39],"sensor-based":[41],"wireless":[42],"networks.":[43],"The":[44,150],"challenge":[45],"for":[46,162,202,212,281,295],"researchers":[47],"IoT":[49],"and":[50,63,75,92,104,129,159,169,184,197,221,239,288],"embedded":[51],"systems":[52],"is":[53,110,272,293],"work":[55,100],"under":[56],"resource-constrained":[57],"environments":[58],"while":[59,133,205],"preserving":[60],"quality":[62],"achieving":[64],"computational":[65],"efficiency.":[66],"However,":[67],"most":[68],"current":[71],"approaches":[72],"consider":[73],"cryptography":[74],"steganography":[76],"as":[77],"independent":[78],"techniques,":[79],"which":[80],"often":[81],"leads":[82],"higher":[84],"computation":[85],"overhead,":[86],"reduced":[87],"imperceptibility":[88],"with":[89,142,181,191],"payload,":[91],"low":[93],"cryptographic":[94,261,286],"security.":[95],"Addressing":[96],"these":[97,264],"limitations,":[98],"this":[99],"proposes":[101],"a":[102,213,273],"lightweight":[103,274],"unified":[105],"crypto-steganographic":[106],"approach":[107,271],"whereby":[108],"encryption":[109],"integrated":[111],"into":[112],"embedding":[114,131,220,275],"operation.":[115],"A":[116,250],"dual":[117],"Piecewise":[118],"Linear":[119],"Chaotic":[120],"Map":[121],"(PWLCM)":[122],"randomizes":[123],"reading":[125],"order":[126],"payload":[128,140,157,248],"pixel":[130],"positions,":[132],"in-place":[135],"XOR":[136],"transformation":[137],"combines":[138],"each":[139],"bit":[141],"selected":[143],"bits":[144],"pixels":[146],"prior":[147],"embedding.":[149],"integration":[151],"Huffman":[153],"compression":[154],"effectively":[155],"increases":[156],"capacity,":[158],"multi-format":[160],"support":[161],"lossless":[163],"cover":[164],"images":[165,186],"(,":[166,173],",":[167,174],")":[168,175],"input":[170],"file":[171],"formats":[172],"extends":[176],"practical":[177],"applicability.":[178],"Experimental":[179],"evaluation":[180],"both":[182],"grayscale":[183],"color":[185],"shows":[187],"very":[188],"high":[189,247,260,285],"imperceptibility,":[190],"peak":[192],"PSNR":[193,208],"values":[194],"reaching":[195],"$$\\varvec{77.42dB}$$":[196],"SSIM":[198],"approximately":[200],"$$\\varvec{1.0}$$":[201],"smaller":[203],"payloads,":[204],"sustaining":[206],"above":[209],"$$\\varvec{51dB}$$":[210],"even":[211,245],"full":[214],"capacity":[215],"$$\\varvec{166,336}$$":[217],"characters.":[218],"Also,":[219],"extraction":[222],"remain":[223],"less":[224],"than":[225,255],"$$\\varvec{1.6}$$":[226],"seconds.":[227],"Further,":[228],"robust":[230],"statistical":[231],"undetectability":[232],"allows":[233],"RS":[234],"Analysis,":[235,238],"Sample":[236],"Pairs":[237],"Chi-Square":[240],"tests":[241],"be":[243,279],"evaded":[244],"at":[246],"capacities.":[249],"key":[251],"space":[252],"more":[254],"$$\\varvec{1.2483":[256],"\\times":[257],"2}^{\\varvec{199}}$$":[258],"ensures":[259],"strength.":[262],"All":[263],"observations":[265],"together":[266],"establish":[267],"that":[268,277],"proposed":[270],"technique":[276],"can":[278],"used":[280],"big":[282],"data,":[283],"provides":[284],"security":[287],"maintains":[289],"quality,":[291],"hence":[292],"appropriate":[294],"low-resource":[296],"situations.":[297]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-07-29T09:40:50.615796","created_date":"2026-03-05T00:00:00"}
