Performance evaluation of moment-based watermarking methods: A review

This paper includes a theoretical analysis and performance investigation of representative moment-based watermarking systems. The main contribution of this work, along with the review of the moment-based watermarking algorithms’ main properties (advantages and disadvantages), is the sensitivity analysis of those methods regarding some crucial parameters. Through a designed set of specific experiments, the influence of moment order and moment family (Zernike, Pseudo-Zernike, Wavelet, Krawtchouk, Tchebichef, Legendre, Fourier–Mellin) on each methods’ performance is investigated and evaluated by applying geometric and signal processing attacks through the well-known benchmark Stirmark. Moreover, a comparative study regarding to methods’ robustness, imperceptibility and algorithms’ efficiency (time performance) is achieved. Experimental results show that moment's order calibration along with specific moment families enhances methods’ performances and brings forth better tradeoffs between robustness and imperceptibility. Additionally, important issues which have been revealed through methods’ implementation are discussed and proper separate solutions are proposed.

► Discussion of the crucial drawbacks and advantages of each method.
► Crucial parameters (moment order, moment family) sensitivity analysis.
► Order's value and moment's family selection affect the watermarking process.
► Identical watermark insertion experiments for accurate comparison of the methods.
► Authors’ proposal of the best watermarking schemes.