The efficiency of Color Models layers at Color Images as Cover in text hiding

Abstract

The color images are used widely as a cover in hiding of the information. Since the variety of applications of the color image there are several color models of color image. Most color models consist of three layers.  The nature of the color mode of the cover plays a main role in determining the robustness and security of hiding algorithm.

The objective of this paper tests the layers, components, of the color models of cover color images, to figure out which color layer of each color model is best (less affected) to use as a cover to hide information within each color model in the hiding process. The experiments concentrate on the hiding texts in two positions of each layer, 7^th bits and 8^th bits (LSB).  Mean Square Error (MSE) and Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) were used to measure the affected of hidden text in layers.  The tests were done on nine colors models: RGB, HSV, HIS, HSL, HSB, YCbCr, La*b*, LUV and CMYK.

The results show that some of color models have best layer to hide text such as YCbCr, HSI, CMYK, HSL and LUV . In other color models which have been tested, there is not a distinctive layer. The layer H is the worst because any hiding leaves a clear impact on the cover image.