Arithmetic coding based secret image sharing with inverted pattern LSB substitution for share hiding to achieve better quality stego images

AbstractIn this paper we have proposed a secret image sharing method using arithmetic coding. The proposed method is inspired from the work presented in [25]. Objectives of the proposed method are (i) to reduce the size of the shares, (ii) provide more secure sharing and (iii) achieve better quality meaningful shadow images. Here, we have extended the arithmetic coding method as given in [25] to achieve more compressed data stream, which will reduce the size of secret and hence reduce the size of shares. Then, the data stream passes through a transformation for more secure secret sharing and finally, generated shares are embedded into the cover images by adopting inverted pattern LSB substitution method which gives better quality stego images.