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An efficient quantum image steganography protocol based on improved EMD algorithm

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Abstract

This paper proposes an efficiency quantum image steganography protocol based on improved exploiting modification direction algorithm (QIS-IEMD). The new methods of expanding modification range and dynamically sharing between subgroups are introduced in the new protocol. Compared with the quantum image steganography protocol based on EMD algorithm (QIS-EMD), secret information can be embedded on multiple bit planes after expanding pixel’s modification range, and the carrier pixel groups can be dynamically shared to achieve higher embedding efficiency, embedding rate and larger capacity. In addition, in order to reflect the feasibility and practicability of QIS-IEMD, dedicated quantum circuits for embedding and extracting secret information are designed for it. Finally, the experimental results and detailed mathematical analysis prove that, compared with QIS-EMD, QIS-IEMD not only performs well in imperceptibility, but also significantly increases embedding efficiency, embedding rate and capacity.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61373131, 61601358, 61501247, 61672290, 61303039, 61232016), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. BK20171458), Sichuan Youth Science and Technique Foundation (No. 2017JQ0048), Open Foundation of State key Laboratory of Networking and Switching Technology (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications) (SKLNST-2020-1-17), PAPD and CICAEET funds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China

    Zhiguo Qu & Hanrong Sun

  2. Engineering Research Center of Digital Forensics, Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China

    Zhiguo Qu

  3. State key Laboratory of Networking and Switching Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing, 100876, China

    Zhiguo Qu

  4. School of Computer and Software, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China

    Zhiguo Qu & Hanrong Sun

  5. Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China

    Min Zheng

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  1. Zhiguo Qu
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  2. Hanrong Sun
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  3. Min Zheng
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Correspondence to Zhiguo Qu or Min Zheng.

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Qu, Z., Sun, H. & Zheng, M. An efficient quantum image steganography protocol based on improved EMD algorithm. Quantum Inf Process 20, 53 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-021-02991-8

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