Crypto-Steganographic Method to Protect Secret Messages

Multiple methods are used to hide secret messages in digital color images, and the most important and most common is the least significant bit (LSB) method. The LSB method is a known and exposed method, and anyone with programming experience can retrieve the secret message embedded in the digital image. In this paper research we will add some enhancements to improve the security level of LSB method to protect the embedded secret message from being hacked. A simple method of secret message cryptography will be used to encrypt the secret message before bedding it using LSB method. The method will be based on using color image as an image_key; this image_key will be resized to generate the needed secret private key used to encrypt-decrypt secret message. The length and the contents of the generated private key will dynamically change depending on the message length and the selected image_key. The selected image_key will be kept in secret without transmission and will be known only by the sender and receiver and it can be changed any time when needed. The proposed crypto_steganographic method will be implemented to show how it will increase the level o secret message protection.