Pixel Guard

Pixel Guard is a dual purpose security tool used for image encryption and decryption. It uses NumPy for high-speed mathematical pixel transformations and Flask for seamless web interface.

Features

• 🔐Image Encryption - Encrypt images using XOR and pixel shuffling
• 🔓Image Decryption - Decrypt encrypted images with the correct key
• 📝Steganography - Hides secret messages within images
• 🔍Message Extraction - Extract hidden messages from images

Technologies Used

• Python 3
• Image Steganography
• Flask
• NumPy
• PIL (Pillow)

Preview

Usage

Image Encryption

1. Visit the PixelGuard website
2. Navigate to Image Encryption and select Encrypt image
3. Select an image
4. Provide an encryption key (remembering the key is important)
5. Click Encrypt Image and save the image

Image Decryption

1. Navigate to Decrypt Image
2. Select the encrypted image
3. Enter the same encryption key
4. Click Decrypt Image

Steganography

Encrypt a message

1. Visit Pixel Guard website
2. Navigate to Steganography and select Hide Message
3. Select an image
4. Enter a secret message
5. Enter an encryption key
6. Choose channel mode (1 or 3)
7. Click Hide Message in Image and save the image

Extract hidden messages

1. Navigate to Extract Message
2. Select the encrypted image
3. Enter the same encryption key
4. Choose the correct channel mode
5. Click Extract Hidden Message

Notes

• Use strong, unique numeric keys for image encryption and unique text keys for image steganography.
• Correct encryption key and channel mode is needed to decrypt messages.
• Keys are never stored or transmitted; if a key is lost, data is unrecoverable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does the app only save files as PNG?

A: The project uses PNG because it is a lossless format. Formats like JPEG use "lossy" compression, which slightly alters pixel values to save space; even a 1-pixel change would destroy the mathematical XOR encryption or the hidden LSB bits.

Q: Can I recover my image if I lose my numeric key?

A: No. The numeric key is used as a seed for the random number generator and pixel shuffler. Without the exact same key, the mathematical operations cannot be reversed, and the data remains encrypted static.

Q: What is the difference between 1-Channel and 3-Channel mode?

A: 1-Channel mode embeds data only in the Red channel's LSB, while 3-Channel mode uses Red, Green, and Blue. 3-Channel mode is three times faster and offers triple the storage capacity.

Q: Does PixelGuard support non-English characters?

A: Currently, the steganography module is limited to ASCII characters. Using emojis or special Unicode characters will cause an encoding error.