An efficient quantum image steganography protocol based on improved EMD algorithm

This paper proposes an efficiency quantum image steganography protocol based on improved exploiting modification direction algorithm (QIS-IEMD). The new methods of expanding modification range and dynamically sharing between subgroups are introduced in the new protocol. Compared with the quantum image steganography protocol based on EMD algorithm (QIS-EMD), secret information can be embedded on multiple bit planes after expanding pixel’s modification range, and the carrier pixel groups can be dynamically shared to achieve higher embedding efficiency, embedding rate and larger capacity. In addition, in order to reflect the feasibility and practicability of QIS-IEMD, dedicated quantum circuits for embedding and extracting secret information are designed for it. Finally, the experimental results and detailed mathematical analysis prove that, compared with QIS-EMD, QIS-IEMD not only performs well in imperceptibility, but also significantly increases embedding efficiency, embedding rate and capacity.