Enhancing Data Security with Hybrid Cryptography and Steganography

In the era of rapidly evolving digital threats such as cyber-attacks, ensuring robust data security is most important. The conventional security mechanisms involves algorithms often fails to address emerging vulnerabilities in data protection, specifically in cloud and wireless communication systems. The proposed paper investigates multilayered innovative approach to enhance data security by integrating Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) as hybrid cryptography. The research aims to address gaps in conventional systems, where single-layered defenses frequently prove inadequate against sophisticated attacks. The proposed research integrates hybrid cryptography with steganography technique which makes secret information unpredictable for unauthorized person or access. The proposed model exhibits significant improvements in data security metrices, with minimal Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 0.00005 and a Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) exceeding 81 dB, far surpassing prior studies. The proposed methodology provides enhanced security, while maintaining minimal visual distortion, therefore, favorable for the IoT and mobile devices constraints environments.