This book delves into the fundamentals of steganography, the ancient art of hiding messages in plain sight. From the historical roots to modern applications, readers are taken on a journey through the techniques that transform seemingly ordinary content into carriers of covert communication. The book not only demystifies the basics of steganography but also sheds light on its contemporary applications in digital security, forensics, and confidential messaging.
Beginning with the ancient origins of hidden writing, the book builds a clear picture of how steganography has evolved alongside cryptography and cybersecurity. It then moves into the digital realm, explaining with clarity how messages are embedded within images, audio and video files, and how these methods are analyzed, tested, and, ultimately, uncovered.
Balancing theory with application, the text introduces key measures of quality, such as PSNR and MSE, and unpacks practical techniques used for both embedding and detecting hidden data. The discussion of steganalysis tools is especially valuable, giving readers a grounded understanding of the strengths and limitations of current approaches.
Applications are drawn from real-world domains - from digital forensics and cyber defense to secure communications - demonstrating why steganography matters not only as a technical discipline but as a practical skill. The authors also look ahead, surveying the challenges posed by increasingly complex media formats and the potential directions of future research.
Dr. Urmila Pilania is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, India. Dr. Pilania earned an engineering degree (BTech in computer science and engineering) in 2007 at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India. She earned an MTech in computer science and technology in 2009 at Vaish College of Engineering, Rohtak, Haryana, India. Dr. Pilania earned a PhD in computer science and technology in 2021 at Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, India. Her primary research interests are in information security, image processing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Pilania has published many research papers related to information security, object detection, and classification. She is the author of more than 34 research publications with journals and conferences of repute, and some papers are under review or in press with leading publishers. Dr. Pilania has published three national patents, and one design patent is under examination. She has participated in various workshops and faculty development programs. Dr. Pilania has also been associated with many conferences and journals as a reviewer and a member of their technical committee. She has conducted various special sessions at many reputed conferences. Dr. Pilania has delivered guest lectures at some reputed conferences, and she has chaired many sessions at international conferences. Dr. Pilania is currently guiding three PhD research scholars.
Dr. Manoj Kumar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, India. He has more than 14 years' experience, including academics, industry, and research. He earned a PhD in computer vision in 2022 with a thesis titled "Automatic Detection of Moving Object in a Video for Smart Surveillance System". His areas of expertise include computer vision, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, image processing, IoT, and blockchain.
Dr. Kumar has published many research papers related to moving object detection and tracking in videos and also extracts features of moving objects or vehicles from video in real-time video surveillance systems. He has published more than 10 papers in SCIE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science indexed journals. Dr. Kumar has presented more than 20 papers at various Scopus-indexed international conferences, and a few have been published as book chapters. He has published four national patents and participated in various workshops and faculty development programs.
Dr. Kumar has been on the reviewer board of the International Conference on Disruptive Technologies (ICDT-2023), the Fourth International Conference on Advancement in Electronics and Communication Engineering (AECE-2023), etc. He has conducted or chaired various special sessions in many reputed conferences and workshops.
