A novel multi-group exploiting modification direction method based on switch map

In this paper, we proposed a novel adjustable data hiding method. Our proposed method, which is based on exploiting modification direction (EMD) method, is called the “multi-group exploiting modification direction” method. In the multi-group method, we combine several pixel-groups to embed secret data according to the constructed switch map to simply avoid the conversion redundancy of the EMD method and the spatial redundancy of the section-wise strategy, as well as to efficiently increase the probability of achieving larger embedding capacity. According to the experimental results and mathematical justification, we verified that the multi-group method can achieve higher embedding payload and better visual quality of the image than the EMD method and section-wise strategy for simulated and real secret data.

► We proposed a novel multi-group exploiting modification direction method. ► Secret data are embedded into pixel-groups according to the constructed switch map. ► Proposed method can avoid the redundancy problems. ► Proposed method provides better embedding performance than the compared methods.