RIWAPV: Robust Image Watermarking in Compressed Domain Based on Adjacent Pixel Variation

The increasing progress of multimedia data in the present digital era necessitates novel solutions for efficient storage and intellectual property protection. This work introduces RIWAPV, an efficient technique that simultaneously achieves image compression and secures digital image ownership verification. Unlike relevant state-of-the-art techniques, the RIWAPV uses a newly developed adjacent pixel variation method for image watermarking. By utilizing the sparse nature of the Fast Walsh-Hadamard Transform (FWHT), RIWAPV effectively decreases storage requirements while safeguarding ownership rights. The process begins with image compression via FWHT, followed by embedding a chaotically encrypted watermark inside FWHT coefficients. This approach ensures that the imperceptibility of the host image is maintained while enhancing the watermark's robustness. The robustness of this method is demonstrated by high NCC values, consistently close to 1, indicating strong resistance to various attacks. Additionally, the scheme achieves a compression ratio of 2.86, underscoring its efficiency in reducing storage needs. Comparative analysis shows that RIWAPV outperforms several cutting-edge techniques, making it a highly effective solution for the challenges of current digital era.