SCFformer: a binary data hiding method against JPEG compression based on spatial channel fusion Transformer

Xintao DUAN; Chun LI; Bingxin WEI; Guoming WU; Chuan QIN; Haewoon NAM

doi:10.1631/FITEE.2300762

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SCFformer: a binary data hiding method against JPEG compression based on spatial channel fusion Transformer

Regular Papers | Updated：2025-06-04

- SCFformer: a binary data hiding method against JPEG compression based on spatial channel fusion Transformer
- SCFformer：一种基于空间通道融合Transformer的抗JPEG压缩的二进制数据隐藏方法
- Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering Vol. 26, Issue 5, Pages: 728-741(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.School of Computer and Information Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
  2.Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
  3.Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
  4.School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Author bio：
  
  ‡ Corresponding author
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1631/FITEE.2300762
  CLC： TP309.7
- Received：08 November 2023，
  
  Revised：28 March 2024，
  
  Published：2025-05
- Accepted：
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Xintao DUAN, Chun LI, Bingxin WEI, et al. SCFformer: a binary data hiding method against JPEG compression based on spatial channel fusion Transformer[J]. Frontiers of information technology & electronic engineering, 2025, 26(5): 728-741.
DOI：

Xintao DUAN, Chun LI, Bingxin WEI, et al. SCFformer: a binary data hiding method against JPEG compression based on spatial channel fusion Transformer[J]. Frontiers of information technology & electronic engineering, 2025, 26(5): 728-741. DOI： 10.1631/FITEE.2300762.

摘要

为增强公共渠道传输过程中信息的安全性，图像常被用于二进制数据隐藏。由于采用联合图像专家组（JPEG）压缩，数据容易失真，恢复原始二进制数据面临挑战。本文提出一种开创性的二进制数据隐藏方法，利用一种结合了空间和通道注意力机制的Transformer模型（称为SCFformer）抵抗JPEG压缩。该方法在隐藏阶段采用一种新颖的离散余弦变换（DCT）量化截断机制，以增强图像的抗JPEG压缩能力，并通过空间和通道注意力机制将数据隐藏到不易察觉的区域，增强模型对隐写分析的抵抗能力。在提取阶段，DCT量化机制最大限度减少压缩过程中秘密图像的丢失，从而更容易实现信息的提取。可扩展模块的整合增加了灵活性，允许可变容量的数据隐藏。实验结果证实所提方案具有高安全性、大容量和高灵活性，同时在JPEG压缩后的二进制数据恢复方面取得显著改进，展示了所提方法的有效性。

Abstract

To enhance information security during transmission over public channels

images are frequently employed for binary data hiding. Nonetheless

data are vulnerable to distortion due to Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression

leading to challenges in recovering the original binary data. Addressing this issue

this paper introduces a pioneering method for binary data hiding that leverages a combined spatial and channel attention Transformer

termed SCFformer

to withstand JPEG compression. This method employs a novel discrete cosine transform (DCT) quantization truncation mechanism during the hiding phase to bolster the stego image’s resistance to JPEG compression

using spatial and channel attention to conceal information in less perceptible areas

thereby enhancing the model’s resistance to steganalysis. In the extraction phase

the DCT quantization minimizes secret image loss during compression

facilitating easier information retrieval. The incorporation of scalable modules adds flexibility

allowing for variable-capacity data hiding. Experimental findings validate the high security

large capacity

and high flexibility of our scheme

alongside a marked improvement in binary data recovery post-JPEG compression

underscoring our method’s leading-edge performance.

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Keywords

references

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