Malaysian Journal of Mathematical Sciences, September 2025, Vol. 19, No. 3
LSB Technique for Image Steganography Based on RC4 Algorithm and ECDHKE Protocol
Al Saedi, S. A. H. and Al Saffar, N. F. H.
Corresponding Email: najlaa.hameed@uokufa.edu.iq
Received date: 4 December 2024
Accepted date: 6 March 2025
Abstract:
Image-based steganography using the least significant bits technique makes detecting hidden plaintext inside an image file difficult. This method hides not only the message itself but also the fact that it is being sent. This work used several tools to build a proposed algorithm to increase hidden security information, where the keys will be generated using the Diffie-Hellman technique that depends on points of an elliptic curve. At the encryption level, the RC4 (Rivest Cipher 4) technique will be used to encrypt the plaintext. The last level will use the least significant bit technique within an image. The tests (histogram analysis, mean square error, peak signal-to-noise ratio) conducted on the newly developed algorithm revealed something quite intriguing; it is not just straightforward and efficient but boasts a remarkably high level of security for information transfer. These results were supported by calculating the execution time of the proposed algorithm and comparing it with previous algorithms.
Keywords: least significant bits technique; image-based steganography; Diffie-Hellman technique; elliptic curve; RC4 technique
