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@article{199559,
        author = {Parth Lahane and Sree Ram Kumar and Shravani Hole and Hrishita Prashant Nalawade and Arun Ghandat},
        title = {CRYPTOSTEG: SECURE IMAGE-BASED DATA HIDING USING AES & LSB STEGANOGRAPHY},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {15081-15088},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=199559},
        abstract = {In an age where digital communication and data sharing are fundamental to everyday life, ensuring the security and confidentiality of transmitted information has become a paramount concern. This paper presents CRYPTOSTEG, a secure image-based data hiding system that integrates Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption with Least Significant Bit (LSB) steganography to provide a dual layer of protection for sensitive data. The proposed system encrypts the secret message using AES before embedding it into a cover image using the LSB technique, thereby concealing the presence of the data while maintaining the visual integrity of the image. The platform ensures that even if the stego image is intercepted, extracting or interpreting the hidden information without the encryption key is computationally infeasible. The model has been tested for robustness, imperceptibility, and data recovery accuracy, achieving high Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) values and minimal distortion. This combination of cryptography and steganography enhances security, confidentiality, and resistance against unauthorized access, making CRYPTOSTEG a reliable and efficient solution for secure data transmission in modern communication systems.},
        keywords = {Cryptography, Steganography, AES, LSB, Image Security, Data Hiding, Information Protection, Cybersecurity.},
        month = {April},
        }