Open Access

ARTICLE

General Improvement of Image Interpolation-Based Data Hiding Methods Using Multiple-Based Number Conversion

Da-Chun Wu^*, Bing-Han Sie

Department of Computer and Communication Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 824005, Taiwan

* Corresponding Author: Da-Chun Wu. Email:

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2025, 144(1), 535-580. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2025.067239

Received 28 April 2025; Accepted 13 June 2025; Issue published 31 July 2025

Abstract

Data hiding methods involve embedding secret messages into cover objects to enable covert communication in a way that is difficult to detect. In data hiding methods based on image interpolation, the image size is reduced and then enlarged through interpolation, followed by the embedding of secret data into the newly generated pixels. A general improving approach for embedding secret messages is proposed. The approach may be regarded a general model for enhancing the data embedding capacity of various existing image interpolation-based data hiding methods. This enhancement is achieved by expanding the range of pixel values available for embedding secret messages, removing the limitations of many existing methods, where the range is restricted to powers of two to facilitate the direct embedding of bit-based messages. This improvement is accomplished through the application of multiple-based number conversion to the secret message data. The method converts the message bits into a multiple-based number and uses an algorithm to embed each digit of this number into an individual pixel, thereby enhancing the message embedding efficiency, as proved by a theorem derived in this study. The proposed improvement method has been tested through experiments on three well-known image interpolation-based data hiding methods. The results show that the proposed method can enhance the three data embedding rates by approximately 14%, 13%, and 10%, respectively, create stego-images with good quality, and resist RS steganalysis attacks. These experimental results indicate that the use of the multiple-based number conversion technique to improve the three interpolation-based methods for embedding secret messages increases the number of message bits embedded in the images. For many image interpolation-based data hiding methods, which use power-of-two pixel-value ranges for message embedding, other than the three tested ones, the proposed improvement method is also expected to be effective for enhancing their data embedding capabilities.

---

Keywords

---