Reversible Data Hiding and Reversible Authentication Watermarking for Binary Images

Abstract

Data hiding is a technique used to embed a sequence of bits in a host image with small visual deterioration and the means to extract it afterwards. Reversible data hiding allows, in addition, recovering the original cover-image exactly. Several reversible data hiding techniques have been developed but very few of them are appropriate for binary images. This paper proposes a reversible data hiding technique for binary images. This technique uses the Golomb code to compress prediction errors of low-visibility pixels, using its neighborhood as side information, to obtain the space to store the hidden data. The proposed technique is then used to reversibly authenticate binary images, including texts, drawings and halftones. All binary images we tested could be authenticated using the proposed technique, except unrealistically small or random images.