Using compression and encryption to provide secure image steganography

Information security is the main focus and important issue that has been of interest to researchers since ancient times. The Cryptography and Steganography techniques are used to achieve information security and to maintain its secrecy. Cryptography converts plain text into a ambiguous formula that cannot be read by humans, while the Steganography includes embedding the secret message in the transmission medium without arousing suspicion from the attacker. The research includes presenting a proposed method to improve the efficiency of the image secretion process, where (Huffman encoding) algorithm was used for the compression process of the original image that is to be hidden in order to reduce its size. Also, another proposed method was used to encrypt the image resulting from the compression process in order to maintain its secrecy and increase the efficiency of process secreting. Finally, a series of tests were performed to show the results of the proposed system process and clarify the process secreting.