DKiS: Decay weight invertible image steganography with private key

• Published in: Neural networks Vol. 185; p. 107148
• Main Authors: Yang, Hang, Xu, Yitian, Liu, Xuhua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2025
• Subjects: Algorithms; Computer Security; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image steganography; Invertible neural network; Neural Networks, Computer; Private key; Invertible neural network; Private key; Image steganography
• ISSN: 0893-6080; 1879-2782; 1879-2782
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2025.107148

Image steganography, defined as the practice of concealing information within another image. In this paper, we propose decay weight invertible image steganography with private key (DKiS). This model introduces two major advancements into current invertible image steganography: (1) Decay Weight Mechanism: For the first time, we introduce a decay weight mechanism to regulate the transfer of non-essential or ‘garbage’ information from the secret to the host pipeline. This effectively filters out irrelevant data, enhancing the performance of image steganography. (2) Preset Private Key Integration: We incorporate a preset private key into high-capacity image steganography for the first time, strengthening the security of hidden information. Access to the concealed data requires the corresponding preset private key, effectively addressing security challenges when the model becomes publicly known or are subject to attack. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our model, highlighting its robustness and practical applicability in real-world scenarios. The code for this model is publicly accessible at https://github.com/yanghangAI/DKiS, and a practical demonstration can be found at http://yanghang.site/hidekey/.