A secure and size efficient algorithm to enhance data hiding capacity and security of cover text by using unicode

• Published in: Journal of King Saud University. Computer and information sciences Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 2180 - 2191
• Main Authors: Ditta, Allah, Azeem, Muhammad, Naseem, Shahid, Gulzar Rana, Khurram, Adnan Khan, Muhammad, Iqbal, Zafar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-05-2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Arabic text; Cryptography; Data communication; Data security; Text Steganography; Unicode; Unicode; Text Steganography; Data security; Data communication; Cryptography; Arabic text
• ISSN: 1319-1578; 2213-1248
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jksuci.2020.07.010

With the advancement of technology, the maximum data hiding capacity and security of cover objects have become a very challenging task for researchers, particularly in text carrier. Text carrier depicts low hiding capacity but more secure for the detection of confidential information. It demands novelty in data hiding algorithms. In this regard, a novel algorithm is proposed by using steganography and cryptography together for the enhancement of capacity and security of confidential data. The recommended algorithm uses a linguistic steganography method to conceal data into the Arabic text carrier. In the described algorithm, the identification of secret information from text files is hard due to less redundant bits in the text as compared to the image, audio, and video steganographic mediums. The current solution uses Unicode characters such as Zero-Width-Character (ZWC) and Zero-Width-Joiner (ZWJ) to hide the secret information. Before hiding confidential information, secret data is encrypted by using bit inversion due to which algorithm achieved high security. It is observed from the simulation results that the proposed algorithm successfully achieved high cover medium capacity, security, and robustness.