ABSTRACT

Encryption is commonly used for encryption of text as well as images. Various encryption algorithms exist for this purpose. Here we propose to build a secured image encryption algorithm that can be used to encrypt as well as send images remotely to the intended receiver. Our system can link to a remote client to our software installed on the remote system and connect to it for image transfer. Our system creates an encryption system using image steganography that will provide security through obscurity. In other words, the system will aid in keeping certain information and data secret while in storage on their computer systems and also provide an obscured communication without any modification to the original information or data.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The internet is simply a large collection of networked computers. Man has grown to depend on the internet continually and have incorporated it into their lives. The role of technology as an integral part of our daily life makes information security critical for individuals and organizations. Security, as of now, is the techniques developed to securely guard information and information systems stored on computers. Potential threats consist of the destruction of computer hardware, and software, theft, unauthorized use, or disclosure of data. Computers and the information they contain are often considered confidential systems because their use is typically restricted to a limited number of users. This confidentiality can be exposed to danger in a variety of ways. For example, data and information can be exposed to hackers, viruses, and worms. Therefore, security can be defined as the resistivity degree to or protection from harm. Security is one of the basic needs of man since creation. It is also a statement of fact that security dynamics have evolved over the years. Consequently, the security of information has become a fundamental issue. The amount of personal and corporate information transmitted and stored on networks,  and the variety of threats to that information, combine to form a pressing need for increased protection of that information. It is no surprise that countless encryption methods like cryptography, steganography, fingerprint, and watermarking are used by organizations and individuals to protect such information. The growing possibilities of modern communications require the use of secure means of protecting information.

Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security. The process of Encryption hides the contents of a message in a way that the original information is recovered only through a decryption process. Encryption provides an obvious approach to information security, and encryption programs are readily available. However, encryption marks a message as containing “interesting” information, and the encrypted message becomes subject to attack. Furthermore, in many cases, it is desirable to send and store information without anyone even noticing that information has been sent or saved on a computer system. The purpose of Encryption is to prevent unauthorized parties from viewing or modifying the data. Encryption occurs when the data is passed through some substitute technique, shifting technique, table references, or mathematical operations. All those processes generate a different form of that data. The unencrypted data is referred to as the plaintext and the encrypted data as the ciphertext, which is a representation of the original data in a different form.

Steganography is one of the encryption methods that can be employed to secure information. Steganography is an approach to information hiding whereby the information is hidden inconspicuously inside a host data set such that its presence is imperceptible [6] . Steganography is a technique for hiding information in digital media.  In contrast to cryptography, the information or encrypted message is embedded in a  digital host before passing it through a network or storing it, thus the existence of the information is unknown. Besides hiding data for confidentiality, this approach of information hiding can be extended to copyright protection for digital media like audio, video, and images.

 

Steganography is an ancient art and young science of communication that is hidden. A broad definition of the subject includes all means to communicate in a way such that the existence of the message cannot be noticed or identified. The growing possibilities of modern communications need special means of security, especially on computer systems. Information security is becoming more important as the number of data being exchanged on the internet increases.  Therefore, confidentiality and data integrity are required to protect against unauthorized access, use, and modification.

 

• STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

There appears to be illegal activity taking place at different organizations. The suspects are the use of computers and an illegal wireless network by intruders to conduct their activities by accessing unsecured files and documents without encrypted passwords. Therefore this project will deal with the development of encrypting and decryption software that will enable internet transfer of files to be secure.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to provide high security for files and keep them from spying. It also aims at getting encryption algorithm accuracy and safety features and maintaining file information from getting lost during the decryption process. File encryption is one of the most important applications for transferring files through the internet and cellular phones. Hence, this project seeks to achieve the following:-

• To provide a secret form of encryption through obscurity using image steganography.
• To make all confidential information on both their systems and client systems encrypted to prevent unauthorized access, viewing, use, suspicion, and modification.
• To provide a steganographic encryption platform for confidential communication and secret information sharing and storing.
• The encrypted image must avoid drawing suspicion to the existence of hidden information in it.
  • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Projects provide a flexible framework for engaging students in exploring curricular topics and developing important 21st-century skills, such as communication, teamwork, and technology skills. In addition, students are motivated by the fun and creative format and the opportunity to make new friends around the world. For users, encrypting and decrypting passwords enables quick and easy management of files.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research will center on the design and implementation of password encrypting and decrypting software for keeping files through internet transfer.

1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS

 

• Cipher: A cryptographic system in which units of plaintext of regular length, usually letters are arbitrarily transposed or substituted according to a predetermined code.
• Cipher text: This is an encrypted text. Plaintext is what you have before encryption. Cipher text is the encrypted result.
• Encryption: The process of coding or scrambling information in a way that it can only be decoded and read by someone who has the correct decoding key or algorithm. ( obscures information). Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security. To read an encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it. Unencrypted data is called plain text; encrypted data is referred to as cipher text.
  AES: – The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), also known as Rijndael (its original name), is a specification for the encryption of electronic data established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001.
• Decryption: The process of decoding data that has been encrypted into a secret format with a known key or algorithm. ( recovers the  information)
• Algorithm: This is a step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem or accomplishing some task, especially by a computer.
• DES: – The Data Encryption Standard (DES) is an outdated symmetric-key method of data encryption. DES works by using the same key to encrypt and decrypt a message, so both the sender and the receiver must know and use the same private key.
• RSA: – is one of the first practical public-key cryptosystems and is widely used for secure data transmission. In such a cryptosystem, the encryption key is public and differs from the decryption key which is kept secret.
• Pretty Good Privacy (PGP):- is a data encryption and decryption computer program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication for data communication. PGP is often used for signing, encrypting, and decrypting texts, e-mails, files, directories, and whole disk partitions and to increase the security of e-mail communications.
  Encryption: –Information file: This is a file that contains accurate, up-to-date documents.
• Cover object/carrier file: A file that is used to hide information inside of it.
• Steganalysis: The process of detecting hidden information inside of a stego file.

Stego-file/ stego-image: The file in which the information is hidden Image Encryption For Secure Internet Transfer

IMAGE ENCRYPTION FOR SECURE INTERNET TRANSFER. GET MORE  INFORMATION AND CYBER SECURITY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS