On the Robustness of "Robust reversible data hiding scheme based on two-layer embedding strategy"

TL;DR

This paper critically analyzes a recent robust reversible data hiding scheme, revealing its vulnerabilities to JPEG compression and providing insights for enhancing its robustness.

Contribution

The paper offers a detailed critique of Kumar et al.'s scheme, highlighting its lack of robustness against JPEG compression and proposing potential improvements.

Findings

Kumar et al.'s scheme is less robust against JPEG compression than claimed.

JPEG compression alters pixel values, destroying embedded data.

Analysis suggests ways to improve robustness against JPEG artifacts.

Abstract

In the paper "Robust reversible data hiding scheme based on two-layer embedding strategy" published in INS recently, Kumar et al. proposed a robust reversible data hiding (RRDH) scheme based on two-layer embedding. Secret data was embedded into the most significant bit (MSB) planes to increase robustness, and a sorting strategy based on local complexity was adopted to reduce distortion. However, Kumar et al.'s reversible data hiding (RDH) scheme is not as robust against joint photographic experts group (JPEG) compression as stated and can not be called RRDH. This comment first gives a brief description of their RDH scheme, then analyses their scheme's robustness from the perspective of JPEG compression principles. JPEG compression will change pixel values, thereby destroying auxiliary information and pixel value ordering required to extract secret data correctly, making their scheme not robust. Next, the changes in both bit plane and pixel value ordering after JPEG compression are shown and analysed by different robustness-testing experiments. Finally, some suggestions are given to improve the robustness.