Image steganography for data hiding using huffman code, Zigzag and OPAP

Abstract For the purpose of security, Data hiding process embeds data into digital media. Digital image is one of the best media to stores data. It provides large capacity for hiding secrets information which results into the stego-image imperceptible to human vision, a novel Steganographic approach based on data hiding method such that pixel-value differencing. In existing approach different techniques are used such as LSB substitution method, hamming, pixel indicator based method etc. In LSB, there are constraints on image size. In proposed system, Huffman, zigzag and OPAP methods are used to overcome the limitation of the size and provide both high embedding capacity and outstanding imperceptibility for the stego-image. The text data can be embedded into the cover image. Huffman code is to compression the secret messages before sending it to the receiver. Zigzag scanning to select the pixels that will secret messages is hidden. To enhance the quality of the stego-images optimal pixel adjustment process (OPAP) is used. It also minimizes embedding error. The aim is to provide better security with high embedding capacity and a better stego-image quality than the existing system.