Mengyu Qiao

Temporal Derivative-Based Spectrum and Mel-Cepstrum Audio Steganalysis

To improve a recently developed mel-cepstrum audio steganalysis method, we present in this paper a method based on Fourier spectrum statistics and mel-cepstrum coefficients, derived from the second-order derivative of the audio signal. Specifically, the statistics of the high-frequency spectrum and the mel-cepstrum coefficients of the second-order derivative are extracted for use in detecting audio steganography. We also design a wavelet-based spectrum and mel-cepstrum audio steganalysis. By applying support vector machines to these features, unadulterated carrier signals (without hidden data) and the steganograms (carrying covert data) are successfully discriminated. Experimental results show that proposed derivative-based and wavelet-based approaches remarkably improve the detection accuracy. Between the two new methods, the derivative-based approach generally delivers a better performance.

Gene selection and classification for cancer microarray data based on machine learning and similarity measures

BackgroundMicroarray data have a high dimension of variables and a small sample size. In microarray data analyses, two important issues are how to choose genes, which provide reliable and good prediction for disease status, and how to determine the final gene set that is best for classification. Associations among genetic markers mean one can exploit information redundancy to potentially reduce classification cost in terms of time and money.ResultsTo deal with redundant information and improve classification, we propose a gene selection method, Recursive Feature Addition, which combines supervised learning and statistical similarity measures. To determine the final optimal gene set for prediction and classification, we propose an algorithm, Lagging Prediction Peephole Optimization. By using six benchmark microarray gene expression data sets, we compared Recursive Feature Addition with recently developed gene selection methods: Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination, Leave-One-Out Calculation Sequential Forward Selection and several others.ConclusionsOn average, with the use of popular learning machines including Nearest Mean Scaled Classifier, Support Vector Machine, Naive Bayes Classifier and Random Forest, Recursive Feature Addition outperformed other methods. Our studies also showed that Lagging Prediction Peephole Optimization is superior to random strategy; Recursive Feature Addition with Lagging Prediction Peephole Optimization obtained better testing accuracies than the gene selection method varSelRF.

An improved approach to steganalysis of JPEG images

Steganography secretly embeds additional information in digital products, the potential for covert dissemination of malicious software, mobile code, or information is great. To combat the threat posed by steganography, steganalysis aims at the exposure of the stealthy communication. In this paper, a new scheme is proposed for steganalysis of JPEG images, which, being the most common image format, is believed to be widely used for steganography purposes as there are many free or commercial tools for producing steganography using JPEG covers. First, a recently proposed Markov approach [27] is expanded to the inter-block of the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and to the discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The features on the joint distributions of the transform coefficients and the features on the polynomial fitting errors of the histogram of the DCT coefficients are also extracted. All features are called original ExPanded Features (EPF). Next, the EPF features are extracted from the calibrated version; these are called reference EPF features. The difference between the original and the reference EPF features is calculated, and then the original EPF features and the difference are merged to form the feature vector for classification. To handle the large number of developed features, the feature selection method of support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and a method of multi-class support vector machine recursive feature elimination (MSVM-RFE) are used to select features for binary classification and multi-class classification, respectively. Finally, support vector machines are applied to the selected features for detecting stego-images. Experimental results show that, in comparison to the Markov approach [27], this new scheme remarkably improves the detection performance on several JPEG-based steganographic systems, including JPHS, CryptoBola, F5, Steghide, and Model based steganography.

Neighboring joint density-based JPEG steganalysis

The threat posed by hackers, spies, terrorists, and criminals, etc. using steganography for stealthy communications and other illegal purposes is a serious concern of cyber security. Several steganographic systems that have been developed and made readily available utilize JPEG images as carriers. Due to the popularity of JPEG images on the Internet, effective steganalysis techniques are called for to counter the threat of JPEG steganography. In this article, we propose a new approach based on feature mining on the discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain and machine learning for steganalysis of JPEG images. First, neighboring joint density features on both intra-block and inter-block are extracted from the DCT coefficient array and the absolute array, respectively; then a support vector machine (SVM) is applied to the features for detection. An evolving neural-fuzzy inference system is employed to predict the hiding amount in JPEG steganograms. We also adopt a feature selection method of support vector machine recursive feature elimination to reduce the number of features. Experimental results show that, in detecting several JPEG-based steganographic systems, our method prominently outperforms the well-known Markov-process based approach.

Comparison of feature selection and classification for MALDI-MS data

IntroductionIn the classification of Mass Spectrometry (MS) proteomics data, peak detection, feature selection, and learning classifiers are critical to classification accuracy. To better understand which methods are more accurate when classifying data, some publicly available peak detection algorithms for Matrix assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) data were recently compared; however, the issue of different feature selection methods and different classification models as they relate to classification performance has not been addressed. With the application of intelligent computing, much progress has been made in the development of feature selection methods and learning classifiers for the analysis of high-throughput biological data. The main objective of this paper is to compare the methods of feature selection and different learning classifiers when applied to MALDI-MS data and to provide a subsequent reference for the analysis of MS proteomics data.ResultsWe compared a well-known method of feature selection, Support Vector Machine Recursive Feature Elimination (SVMRFE), and a recently developed method, Gradient based Leave-one-out Gene Selection (GLGS) that effectively performs microarray data analysis. We also compared several learning classifiers including K-Nearest Neighbor Classifier (KNNC), Naïve Bayes Classifier (NBC), Nearest Mean Scaled Classifier (NMSC), uncorrelated normal based quadratic Bayes Classifier recorded as UDC, Support Vector Machines, and a distance metric learning for Large Margin Nearest Neighbor classifier (LMNN) based on Mahanalobis distance. To compare, we conducted a comprehensive experimental study using three types of MALDI-MS data.ConclusionRegarding feature selection, SVMRFE outperformed GLGS in classification. As for the learning classifiers, when classification models derived from the best training were compared, SVMs performed the best with respect to the expected testing accuracy. However, the distance metric learning LMNN outperformed SVMs and other classifiers on evaluating the best testing. In such cases, the optimum classification model based on LMNN is worth investigating for future study.

Detection of Double MP3 Compression

MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a popular audio format for consumer audio storage and a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on digital audio players. MP3 audio forgery manipulations generally uncompress a MP3 file, tamper with the file in the temporal domain, and then compress the doctored audio file back into MP3 format. If the compression quality of doctored MP3 file is different from the quality of original MP3 file, the doctored MP3 file is said to have undergone double MP3 compression. Although double MP3 compression does not prove a malicious tampering, it is evidence of manipulation and thus may warrant further forensic analysis since, e.g., faked MP3 files can be generated by using double MP3 compression at a higher bit-rate for the second compression to claim a higher quality of the audio files. To detect double MP3 compression, in this paper, we extract the statistical features on the modified discrete cosine transform and apply a support vector machine to the extracted features for classification. Experimental results show that our designed method is highly effective for detecting faked MP3 files. Our study also indicates that the detection performance is closely related to the bit-rate of the first-time MP3 encoding and the bit-rate of the second-time MP3 encoding.

Revealing real quality of double compressed MP3 audio

MP3 is the most popular format for audio storage and a de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback. The flexibility of compression ratio of MP3 coding enables users to choose their customized configuration in the trade-off between file size and quality. Double MP3 compression often occurs in audio forgery, steganography and quality faking by transcoding an MP3 audio to a different compression ratio. To detect double MP3 compression, in this paper, we extract the statistical features on the modified discrete cosine transform, and apply support vector machines and a dynamic evolving neuron-fuzzy inference system to the extracted features for classification. Experimental results show that our method effectively and accurately detects double MP3 compression for both up-transcoded and down-transcoded MP3 files. Our study also indicates the potential for mining the audio processing history for forensic purposes.

Derivative-based audio steganalysis

This article presents a second-order derivative-based audio steganalysis. First, Mel-cepstrum coefficients and Markov transition features from the second-order derivative of the audio signal are extracted; a support vector machine is then applied to the features for discovering the existence of hidden data in digital audio streams. Also, the relation between audio signal complexity and steganography detection accuracy, which is an issue relevant to audio steganalysis performance evaluation but so far has not been explored, is analyzed experimentally. Results demonstrate that, in comparison with a recently proposed signal stream-based Mel-cepstrum method, the second-order derivative-based audio steganalysis method gains a considerable advantage under all categories of signal complexity--especially for audio streams with high signal complexity, which are generally the most challenging for steganalysis-and thereby significantly improves the state of the art in audio steganalysis.

Novel stream mining for audio steganalysis

In this paper, we present a novel stream data mining for audio steganalysis, based on second order derivative of audio streams. We extract Mel-cepstrum coefficients and Markov transition features on the second order derivative, a support vector machine is applied to the features for discovery of the existence of covert message in digital audios. We also explore the relation between signal complexity and detection performance on digital audios, which has not been studied previously. Our study shows that, in comparison with a recently proposed signal stream based Mel-cepstrum steganalysis, our method prominently improves the detection performance, which is not only related to information-hiding ratio but also signal complexity. Generally speaking, signal stream based Mel-cepstrum audio steganalysis performs well in steganalysis of audios with low signal complexity; it does not work so well on audios with high signal complexity. Our stream mining approach for audio steganalysis gains significant advantage in each category of signal complexity - especially in audios with high signal complexity, and thus improves the state of the art in audio steganalysis.

Improved detection and evaluation for JPEG steganalysis

Detection of information-hiding in JPEG images is actively delivered in steganalysis community due to the fact that JPEG is a widely used compression standard and several steganographic systems have been designed for covert communication in JPEG images. In this paper, we propose a novel method of JPEG steganalysis. Based on an observation of bi-variate generalized Gaussian distribution in Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) domain, neighboring joint density features on both intra-block and inter-block are extracted. Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are applied for detection. Experimental results indicate that this new method prominently improves a current art of steganalysis in detecting several steganographic systems in JPEG images. Our study also shows that it is more accurate to evaluate the detection performance in terms of both image complexity and information hiding ratio.