A Multimodal Approach to Digital Security: Combining Steganography, Watermarking, and Image Enhancement
Gogineni Krishna Chaitanya, Sasidhar Reddy Gaddam, Khadri Syed Faizz Ahmad, Balaji Vicharapu, Uppuluri Lakshmi Soundharya, Uppuluri Naga Lakshmi Madhuri · International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences · 2025
This study addresses the limitations of traditional Least Significant Bit (LSB) techniques in digital forensics by proposing an intelligent watermarking framework enhanced with Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) and Spread Spectrum Watermarking. We propose a robust hybrid approach combining Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT)-based frequency domain watermarking with spread spectrum techniques to improve imperceptibility, security, and resilience against unauthorized tampering. The proposed model embeds robust watermarks with minimal impact on perceptual image quality, validated through quantitative metrics such as Mean Squared Error (MSE) and perceptual analysis. Comparative experiments demonstrate superior performance over conventional LSB methods, particularly in resisting compression and noise-based attacks. Additionally, we integrate cryptographic hashing (SHA-256) for authentication, ensuring tamper-proof verification. The results highlight the framework’s efficacy in digital forensics, copyright protection, and secure multimedia communication. Future work explores adaptive watermarking with machine learning and blockchain integration for enhanced traceability.