Implementation of the Cosine Transform (DCT) Steganography Method for Embedding Secret Messages in Image Media
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The increasingly massive exchange of digital data in the information technology era increases the risk of information leaks and misuse, requiring security mechanisms that not only protect the content of messages but also conceal their existence. Steganography is one relevant solution because it can insert secret messages into digital media without arousing visual suspicion. This research aims to implement a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT)-based steganography method for embedding and extracting secret messages in digital images using the Python programming language. The approach used includes level shifting, image transformation from the spatial domain to the frequency domain using DCT, message bit insertion into the middle frequency coefficients using the Least Significant Bit (LSB) technique, and the inverse DCT process to obtain the stego image and message extraction stage. The system is also equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate the encoding and decoding processes. Test results show that messages can be inserted and extracted back intact without causing significant visual changes to the stego image, thus maintaining image quality. These findings indicate that the DCT method has a high level of imperceptibility and is effective in enhancing the security of digital image-based information. Thus, the DCT-based steganography method can be a reliable alternative solution for security.
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