Dr. Sandeep Joshi

Manipal University Jaipur

Image security through authentication using Watermark

The rapid advancement of hardware, software, and internet services has led to the widespread production, exchange, and use of digital images across various application domains. While fields like telemedicine demand precise extraction of medical information from images, social media platforms prioritize visual appeal through contrast and sharpness. Regardless of the application, image authentication is crucial, as any unauthorized modification can alter decision-making processes. The accessibility of image editing tools has further increased the risk of malicious tampering, making robust security measures essential.

With the increasing demand for digital information exchange, digital watermarking has become an essential tool for content creators to assert ownership in cases of copyright disputes. This work focuses on establishing authorship of color images using watermarking as a means to ensure unambiguous ownership.

Effective digital image watermarking requires the embedded watermark to remain intact and retrievable even after undergoing various image processing operations, whether intentional or unintentional. Therefore, an embedding strategy that balances two conflicting objectives: maintaining imperceptibility to the human eye while ensuring robustness against attacks. Given that an attacker is assumed to have knowledge of the algorithm, the security and effectiveness of the approach rely on both the algorithm itself and the cryptographic keys used. Attackers are expected to exploit any weaknesses to attempt watermark removal or forgery.