Multimedia security: adopting watermarking and fingerprinting for identification and protection of intellectual properties: Research Proposal

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 18th February 2015

Abstract

As the world becomes more open, there are new risk created with internet application and the significance of this risk is based on the understanding that the global phase of the world now makes it possible for victimizers to go undetected. On that account, intellectual properties rights are becoming of high importance and this is the purpose of this research. The research is being developed as a proposal that will guide the main research on understanding the adoption of fingerprinting and watermarking for enhanced multimedia security. Findings from the review of literature show that fingerprinting and watermarking can be used effectively for such purpose.

Keywords: Multimedia security, watermarking, fingerprinting, intellectual property

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Research background

Heru and Fahad (2010) in their research conducted to understand security issues with information in multimedia and design the right framework for handling these issues presented a clear background on multimedia security. The authors noted that the early days of computing was filled with numerous security breaches that were mainly as a result of viruses and worms that where transferred through flash drives and message or via advertisement on the screen – with the potential to inflict high damage on the information of user or system affected.

In any case, the phase of computing has fast changes as numerous corporations across the world now engage in communication in an information rich and international environment. The level of security established in a company comes in numerous forms and are different amongst each other such as: operational security, production and machinery security, environmental security, political security and so on (Thomas 1998). During interaction between two parties, numerous numbers of information and data are being transferred between the two parties that engage in such interaction. All the information transferred comes in the form of multimedia information or information multimedia, and there are quite a number of factors with respect to the transfer process that will have great influence on the treatment of information from both parties involved in the exchange process.

Multimedia information security is of high importance and absolutely necessary during the period of information transfer from one place to another, system to another or person to another. This is because the lack of such security can lead to breaches which can result in both intellectual property and financial losses to the affected person.

Problem statement

It was made known by Jana et al (2010) that the increasing expansion of the digital networks across the globe comes with an increase in extensive access to information and reuse of visual materials. As such, this creates the problem of unauthorized tapping, reading, manipulation or even removal of data from the respective owners of such intellectual property, and this can result to high financial loss or legal problems to the producers and creators.

While these issues prevail, the authors noted that it has result in the need for multimedia designers and publishers to see for new ways of producing digital data such as images, videos or multimedia materials that are protected against such theft by adopting technical solutions for the problems that are associated with the copyright issues of the respective multimedia data. In any case, coming up with such solution has not been easy (Jana et al. 201) as the perpetrators keep bring up news ways of bypassing the set standards and abusing the intellectual properties of the original owners. Another issue comes in the form of the broad environment in which the present global economy is conducted and this means that the perpetrators can hide in their respective corners without ever having chances of being caught.

While the systems might exist in terms of validating the authenticity of any given multimedia information, there is a need to understand that variations in this system have significant impact on the overall possibility of the system being adopted for the purpose authentication. On that ground, the basic need is not about defining or determining the authenticity of the multimedia information because of the fact that it can be adopted and abused in any part of the world. The main need now become to understand the best way to protect such information in order to ensure that reuse comes in such a way that the intellectual property rights of the original creators or developers are maintained and abuses is not inflicted on the creator’s right in any form.

For this research, the problems that has been identified and for which solution is being sourced for include:

1.      The problem of how to protect multimedia intellectual properties from theft;

2.      The problem of how to deny access to multimedia intellectual properties for non-creators; and

3.      The problem of how to copyright original contents in order to limit the possibility of such contents being misused by other people.

Aim of research

Based on the problem identified above, the aim of this research is to understand how multimedia security can be enhanced by adopting watermarking and fingerprinting for identification and protection of intellectual properties. The need for such has been described in the earlier discussion where it was made known that such approach will mean an increase in the security level of multimedia information, which is necessary to ensure that the original creators are not left at the mercy of the abusers – irrespective of where they might be across the globe.

Objectives of research

On the ground of the research aim above, the objectives of this research is to:

1.      To provide solution on how to protect multimedia intellectual properties from theft;

2.      To provide solution on how to deny access to multimedia intellectual properties for non-creators; and

3.      To provide solution on how to copyright original contents in order to limit the possibility of such contents being misused by other people.

Significant research

This research is very important because:

It would contribute to understanding security issues in multimedia. This is because the research process will involve a review of some of the security issues in terms of their original, factors that influence them and their subsequent effects on both the user and the machine. On that account, it is expected that the end result will be an increase in the understanding of security issues.

It will enhance the understanding of solutions for security issues in multimedia. Based on the understand gained in terms of the security issues, the research will proceed to provide and also shade lights on the right solutions for handling such issues. On that account, the outcome of such will be an increase in the understanding of solutions for security issues.

Those that will benefit from such will be both individuals and corporations. The implication would be an increase in multimedia security because this research will be designed in such a way that the security issues will be extensively discussed and the right solutions for such issues presented, as well as the ways for applying such solutions.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

In this part of the research, the focus is to present an understanding and analysis of existing theories in relation to the research. Such theories will be in the three broad sense of multimedia security, fingerprinting and watermarking.

Understanding what multimedia security is all about

Nupoor and Gadicha (2013) presented a detailed analysis of how fingerprinting and watermarking can be adopted to enhance the multimedia security of an intellectual property and one of the highlights from their analysis is that they presented a definition of multimedia security to be the adoption of necessary security measure to ensure that the intellectual properties of original creators are not lost in the media stream. The importance of such has been highlighted earlier in this research to include reduction in risk of financial losses and other factors

Importance of watermarking and fingerprinting

Numerous literatures have noted that the present network available in the world today is such that demand for maintenance of security of information and physical properties because such practice will help to reduce the level of concern over the increase copyright violation (e.g. Qiao and Nahrstedt 1998; Ramkumar and Akansu 1999; Piva, Caldelli and De Rosa 2002; Wolfgang and Delp 1997a, b). The authors made known that watermarks are very useful in tracking individual assets, identifying the original owners of a given content, and determine if the content was obtained from then owner legitimately.

Nupoor and Gadicha (2013) continued their explanation by stating that the value and execution process used in the case of fingerprinting is different from what is obtainable in the case of watermarks described above. The differences come in the form of watermarks relying on the embedment of information into the content, and then using this embedded information as prove of ownership. Finger print on the other hand doesn’t depend on embedment of information; instead it analyzes the content to determine the unique characteristics of the content as prove for ownership (Wolfgang, Podilchuk and Delp 1999; Serdean, Ambroze, Tomlinson, and Wade 2002; Joo Lee and Sung-Hwan Jung 2001; Sumit Gulwani 2000; Sviatoslav, Shelby and Alexander 2002; Chen and Chen 2002.

From the above theories, it can now be stated that the purpose of this research is very unique and it is expected that outcomes from the research will be of vital use to both individuals and corporations. These theories will be expanded in the main research to understand the framework for the approaches discussed, possible limitations, and how to handle these limitations in order to ensure increased changes for success.

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Introduction 

While this research will be based mainly on primary sources and analysis of secondary information, the finding gained from the gained from the review of literature will also be put to test and this section of the research describes how such test will be undertaken.

Research methods

Once the literature review has been completed, the next focus will be to conduct a primary research. As described in the paragraph above, the purpose of the research will be to conduct a test of the findings gained from the literature review. On that ground, the literature review will be conducted to provide detailed information on:

1.      Gained understanding on the research topic – multimedia security issues

2.      Elaboration of framework for watermarking and fingerprinting

3.      Issues with watermarking and fingerprinting

4.      How these issues influence the potential of watermarking and fingerprinting being used as a security measure in multimedia

5.      How these limitations can be reduced in order to enhance the overall positivity gained from such approach.

Once this information has been gained, the primary research will be conducted in this way:

1.      Design a multimedia content – a multimedia content in the form of image and video will be designed.

2.      Fingerprint and watermark the content – the designed content will be fingerprinted and watermarked as a security measure.

3.      Host content online – the designed content will be hosted online via YouTube and Instagram to allow access of such content across the world.

4.      Test security – the security of the designed content will be tested in order to determine whether fingerprinting and watermarking are good security features for multimedia usage. The security feature will include an analysis of how to use fingerprinting and watermarking to protect multimedia information, and this will be tested online.

5.      Report finding – the finding from the primary research will then be reported, and recommendations will be made based on this finding.

Needed hardware

Camcorder – the only hardware need is a camcorder, which will be used for snapping pictures and recording videos that will be used in the test. The preferred version will be a cannon digital camcorder; because of its quality, reliability and durability.

Research plan

The research will be conducted indoors. Since the basic need here is to test the reliability and applicability of watermarking and fingerprinting as security measures in multimedia, there is no need for outdoor study. A simple video will be recorded and pictures taken, which will then be watermarked and fingerprinted for testing. The idea of conducting research indoor is to reduce possibility of external influence like using copyrighted images in the research and also reduce the overall cost of conducting the research.

Anticipated result and conclusion

It is expected that the finding will be positive in the sense that fingerprinting and watermarking can effectively be used as security measures in multimedia. This is because they would limit the possibility of violation of copyright or theft of intellectual properties.

References

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