Genetic-Firefly Algorithm Based Approach in Image Steganography

Abstract

The proliferation of data exchange over the Internet has heightened the importance of secure communication, making data protection a critical challenge in the field of digital communications. As digital content becomes increasingly vulnerable to tampering, there is a growing demand for robust mechanisms to ensure data authenticity and integrity. In this context, steganography has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional methods such as cryptography and watermarking, offering enhanced data confidentiality by concealing information within cover media. This paper proposes a steganographic technique based on an hybridaztion of two algorithms, Genetic algorithm and Firefly algorithm, aimed at optimizing the embedding process to achieve high imperceptibility. The method involves selecting a carrier image whose least significant bits exhibit a high degree of compatibility with the payload (secret image), thereby minimizing perceptual distortion in the resulting stego-image.