High‐capacity embedding method based on double‐layer octagon‐shaped shell matrix

Abstract

Data hiding is a technique that embeds a secret message into a cover medium and transfers the hidden information in the secret message to the recipient. In the past, several data hiding methods based on magic matrix have used various geometrical shapes to transmit secret data. The embedding capacity achieved in these methods was often limited due to simple geometrical layouts. This paper proposes a data hiding scheme based on a double‐layer octagon‐shaped shell matrix. Compared to previous octagon‐shaped data hiding methods, the proposed method embeds a total of 7 bits in each pixel pair, reaching an embedding capacity of 3.5 bits per pixel (bpp). Experimental results show that the proposed scheme has a higher embedding capacity compared to other irreversible data hiding schemes. Using the proposed method, it is possible to maintain the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) within an acceptable range with the embedding time less than 2 s.