Block-based image authentication algorithm using reversible watermarking

Abstract

For the application which need high-confidential images, reversible watermarking method can be regarded as an effective mean to ensure the integrity of received images. Many researches about contents authenticating cannot recover the original image. Reversible watermarking inserts watermark into digital media in such a way that visual transparency is preserved, which enables the restoration of the original media from the watermarked one without any loss of media quality. It has various applications, where high capacity and high visual quality are major requirements. This paper presents a new block-based image authentication algorithm using differential histogram-based reversible watermarking which is able to detect malicious tampering. To judge whether malformed or not, the presented scheme use the DCT-based authentication feature. Through experiments using multiple kinds of test images, we prove that the presented algorithm provides over 97% authenticating rate, complete reversibility, and higher visual quality, while maintaining the induced-distortion low. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.