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Chapter 4

This chapter describes an authentication system and three algorithms developed for visual cryptography. The first algorithm allows sharing of two secret images using only two shares. The second algorithm improves the contrast of recovered secret images. The third algorithm reduces pixel expansion in shares. Finally, an authentication system is described that uses the algorithms to securely share passwords for accessing exam question papers between two people.

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28 views

Chapter 4

This chapter describes an authentication system and three algorithms developed for visual cryptography. The first algorithm allows sharing of two secret images using only two shares. The second algorithm improves the contrast of recovered secret images. The third algorithm reduces pixel expansion in shares. Finally, an authentication system is described that uses the algorithms to securely share passwords for accessing exam question papers between two people.

Uploaded by

pius1985
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 4

System Description

4.1 Chapter Introduction


This chapter describes the overview of the system that is developed. According to the
problem statement and the defined objectives, the system solves all the problems. The sys­
tem developed has three different algorithms and using these algorithms, an authentication
system is developed. These three algorithms and the authentication system application are
the outcomes that satisfy the objectives of the research. These objectives, in a combined
manner address and solve the problem mentioned in the problem statement. In this chapter,
first the algorithm for sharing multiple secrets is described. The algorithm to improve the
contrast of recovered secret images is described later. Another algorithm to reduce pixel
expansion is described in this chapter. Finally, an authentication system is described which
is an application of the developed algorithms.

4.2 Description of (2, 2) Visual Cryptography Technique


to Share Two Secrets (VCTSTS)
In traditional VC, a single secret image is shared among ‘n’ participants. But sometimes
multiple secrets need to be shared among few participants. In such a case, the traditional
VC technique becomes less efficient. Consider a scenario, in which there are only two

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4.2 Description of (2, 2) Visual Cryptography Technique to Share Two Secrets (VCTSTS)

participants and two secret images are to be shared using traditional VC. In this case, four
shares are required to be generated. One pair of shares for first secret image and other
pair of shares for second secret image. The other problem associated with this technique
is the identification of shares. Each participant will have two shares. One share will be
for revealing first secret image and the second share will be for revealing second secret
image. These shares are not having any identification mark which confirms which share
is used for revealing which secret image. Hence this may create difficulty in revealing the
secret images. Such problems present in traditional VC are eliminated using the proposed
technique.
The proposed technique has an ability to share two secrets using only two shares. The
proposed technique uses a (2, 2) VC technique to share two secrets [113]. In (2, 2) VC
technique, first 2 indicates the number of participants required for revealing the secret im­
age while the second 2 indicates the maximum number of participants in the system. In
the proposed technique, first a traditional (2, 2) VCS is applied on one secret image and
two shares are generated. Then using the proposed algorithm, one of the share is modified
according to second secret image.
The steps that are used in this technique are as follows.
Step 1: Two binary secret images are taken.
Step 2: A traditional (2, 2) VCS is applied on one secret image and two shares are gener­
ated.
Step 3: One share is chosen from the two and flipped horizontally.
Step 4: The flipped share is now modified according to every pixel in second secret image
using the proposed algorithm.
Step 5: Two shares are generated in which two secret images are encrypted.
Step 6: To reveal the first secret image, the two shares are stacked.
Step 7: To reveal the second secret image, the second share is flipped horizontally and
stacked on first share.
The detailed design of the algorithm and the proposed technique is described in the next
chapter.

RIRD, Satara, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 35


4.3 Description of (2, 2) Improved Contrast Visual Cryptography Technique (ICVCT)

4.3 Description of (2, 2) Improved Contrast Visual Cryp­


tography Technique (ICVCT)
The recovered secret images from VC techniques have very low contrast this is because
a white pixel is recovered with half contrast and a black pixel is completely recovered as
black. The loss in contrast can be overcome by using additional basis matrices. As more
number of basis matrices are used, more subpixel patterns can be generated. In traditional
(2, 2) VCS, only 6 patterns are available whereas in the proposed technique 14 subpixel
patterns are generated. In the proposed technique, a white secret pixel can be recovered
with either 25%, 50% or 75% contrast. With the proposed technique, the overall contrast
of recovered secret image increases [114].
The steps for the proposed technique are as follows.
Step 1: Take a binary secret image.
Step 2: Generate two shares using three pairs of basis matrices using the procedure used in
(2, 2) VCS.
Step 3: Two shares are generated using subpixels of different contrast levels.
Step 4: The secret image is revealed by stacking of the two shares.

4.4 Description of Pixel Expansion Reduction Algorithm


(PERA)
Most of the VC techniques have a problem of pixel expansion. A single pixel in secret im­
age is represented by 4 subpixels in recovered secret image. This increases the dimensions
of recovered secret image and hence there is difficulty in handling the shares. The memory
capacity required for the storage increases. The data required for transmission of shares
also increases. There are some VC techniques which do not have the problem of pixel ex­
pansion. But these techniques require small amount of computational power to reveal the
secret image from the shares. The basic principle of VCS is to reveal the secret by HVS,
when the shares are stacked together and for this computation power is not required.
In the proposed algorithm, the size of shares is reduced using bicubic algorithm. The

RIRD, Satara, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 36


4.5 Description of an Authentication System using Visual Cryptography

traditional (2, 2) VCS is used to generate two shares. The bicubic algorithm on both the
shares to reduce their dimensions. The dimensions of shares are made equal to the dimen­
sions of original secret image. This algorithm can act as post processing step for any VCS
which has a problem of pixel expansion.
The steps for the proposed technique are as follows.
Step 1: Apply a (2, 2) VCS on the binary secret image and generate two shares.
Step 2: Apply the bicubic algorithm on both the shares along the rows.
Step 3: Apply the bicubic algorithm on both the shares along the columns.
Step 4: The shares having same dimensions as that of the original secret image are gener­
ated and the stacking of these two shares reveals the secret image.

4.5 Description of an Authentication System using Visual


Cryptography
VC can be used to share secret images. The secret images can be passwords of any system.
If a password is to be shared and if it is shared using a text message or as an email, then there
is a chance that it may get hacked by the hacker. In some cases, there is a requirement that
to open a secret thing like a document, all the authenticated people should be present only
then it should be opened. If a single password is shared among all the authenticated people,
then any one person out of them can open the secret thing. This violates the criteria that
all authenticated people should be present only then secret should be opened. To eliminate
this problem, the password can be converted into image and using the VC technique the
shares are shared among all authenticated people. With this the individual person will not
have any idea about the password.
The Secured Password Delivery System (SPDS) that is developed, is used for sharing
sensitive information like exam question papers remotely. One password is required to
download the question paper from the University portal and another password is required
to open the downloaded question paper. There can be one internal supervisor and one
external supervisor. The email ID’s of these two persons are stored in the database of the

RIRD, Satara, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 37


4.6 Chapter Conclusion

system. A password image will be generate by the system and shares will be sent to email
ID’s of both persons. When these persons are together, they can share their shares to a
software on local computer which extracts the passwords.
The steps used in the authentication system are as follows.
Step 1: Generate a random password.
Step 2: Convert the password text into binary image.
Step 3: Apply the proposed (2, 2) VC technique to generate two shares.
Step 4: Send these shares on email ID’s of persons involved.
Step 5: Both persons should download the shares from their respective email ID’s and give
those as input to a software on local computer.
Step 6: The software extracts the passwords from the shares and displays it on computer
screen.

4.6 Chapter Conclusion


This chapter has described description of the algorithms used for different techniques. The
first algorithm can share two secrets using only two shares. The second algorithm is used
to increase the contrast of recovered secret images. The third algorithm is used to generate
the shares of same dimensions as that of the original secret image. This algorithm can be
applied to any technique which has a problem of pixel expansion. Finally, an authenti­
cation system is developed to share two passwords among two people using the proposed
algorithms.

RIRD, Satara, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 38

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