System and method for authentication of JPEG image data

• US 7,360,093 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: de Queiroz, Ricardo L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US10/200,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0042 Fragile watermarking, e.g. so as to detect tampering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3217 using wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32187 with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected frequency coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32277 Compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3236 Details of authentication information generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes

Abstract

A system and method for authentication of JPEG image data enables the recipient to ascertain whether the received image file originated from a known identified source or whether the contents of the file have been altered in some fashion prior to receipt. A unique hashing function is derived from a first section of image data contained in the JPEG compressed image in such a way that any changes subsequently made to the first section of image data is reflected in a different hashing function being derived from a signature string is embedded into a next section of the image data. Since the embedding of a previous section'"'"'s integrity checking number is done without modifying the JPEG bit stream, any JPEG decoder can thereafter properly decode the image.

Claims

1. A system for producing self-authenticating image file of JPEG image data, comprising:

an interface to receive an image file having JPEG image data therein; and

a processor;

said processor dividing said image file of JPEG image data into at least a first section and a second section, said first and second sections each containing a predetermined number of blocks of transformed coefficients;

said processor executing a hashing function upon said JPEG image data in said first section of said image file of JPEG image data;

said processor producing a first integrity checking value from said hashing function executed upon said JPEG image data in said first section of said image file of JPEG image data;

said processor encrypting said first integrity checking value to produce a signature string;

said processor embedding said signature string in a least significant transmitted bit-plane of said second section of said image file of JPEG image data;

said processor combining the sections of said image file of JPEG image data to create a self-authenticating image file of JPEG image data.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocks of transformed coefficients within a section are contiguous.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blocks of transformed coefficients within a section are non-contiguous.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor executes a hashing function upon said JPEG image data in said second section of said image file of JPEG image data;

produces a second integrity checking value from said hashing function executed upon said JPEG image data in said second section of said image file of JPEG image data;

encrypts said second integrity checking value to produce a second signature string;

embeds said second signature string in a least significant transmitted bit-plane of a third section of said image file of JPEG image data; and

combines the sections of said image file of JPEG image data to create a self-authenticating image file of JPEG image data.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said processor executes a hashing function upon said JPEG image data in said third section of said image file of JPEG image data;

produces a third integrity checking value from said hashing function executed upon said JPEG image data in said third section of said image file of JPEG image data;

encrypts said third integrity checking value to produce a third signature string;

embeds said third signature string in a least significant transmitted bit-plane of a fourth section of said image file of JPEG image data; and

combines the sections of said image file of JPEG image data to create a self-authenticating image file of JPEG image data.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor executes a hashing function upon said JPEG image data in a last section of said image file of JPEG image data;

produces a last integrity checking value from said hashing function executed upon said JPEG image data in said last section of said image file of JPEG image data;

encrypts said last integrity checking value to produce a last signature string;

embeds said last signature string in said last section of said image file of JPEG image data; and

combines the sections of said image file of JPEG image data to create a self-authenticating image file of JPEG image data.