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Abstract

Steganography has gained importance in various fields, including cloud security, internet banking, military applications, and medical imaging. Additionally, it is popular due to its many uses, becoming a hot research topic. The Least Significant Bit (LSB) approach is among the simplest ways to embed secret data in a cover image. We proposed a new scheme using LSB with the genetic algorithm GA to find the optimal solution permutation for embedding the pixel assortment of the image where data is to be concealed, and a chaotic genetic algorithm (CGA) to efficiently find the best crossover and mutation performance in the chromosomes. Random keys are created by using a 2D logistic map, and this key is used to encrypt gray images. So it is tough to find secret information. When comparing the PSNR, MSE, and SSIM metrics. The results of the analysis show that the recommended approach provides a useful level of security. With a focus on capacity and image quality where the 4-LSB value and baboon host image of size 512*512 with a maximum capacity up to 65k, the population size and iteration values for the genetic parameters are 50 and 50, respectively the PSNR reach 58.6, SSIM is 0.99995040 and MSE is 0.0896 Although, there is a negotiation between these metrics and keeping a better correspondence between them is still a big challenge.

Reason for Retraction

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editorial Office, following an internal investigation conducted in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines.

The investigation identified serious concerns affecting the integrity and reliability of the published work. Specifically, one or more of the following issues were confirmed:

  1. Undisclosed use of computer-generated text and/or data, in which substantial portions of the content were produced using algorithmic or artificial intelligence–based tools without transparent disclosure, contrary to the journal's authorship and transparency policies.

  2. Compromised peer-review process, indicating irregularities that undermine the validity, independence or authenticity of the review procedure.

  3. Inappropriate or misleading citations, including references that are irrelevant, improperly used, or appear to artificially inflate citation metrics, thereby distorting the scholarly record.

  4. Authorship-related concerns, including the addition of new author(s) at a later stage of the publication process without adequate justification, documentation, or transparent disclosure, raising unresolved questions regarding author contributions, responsibility, and compliance with the journal's authorship criteria.

The Editorial Office determined that these issues significantly compromise the scientific integrity of the article, and that correction alone would be insufficient to address the concerns. Retraction was therefore deemed necessary to maintain the accuracy and trustworthiness of the scholarly record.

The authors were informed of the findings and the retraction decision. While the authors do not respond to this retraction, the journal has proceeded with the retraction in line with COPE guidance, which permits retraction without author consent when editorial integrity is at risk.

This retraction is issued to alert readers that the findings and conclusions of the article should not be relied upon. The original article will remain accessible for the sake of the scholarly record, but it will be clearly marked as retracted.

Apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.

Please see the Retraction Notice available at: https://ijcsm.researchcommons.org/ijcsm/vol6/iss2/24.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52866/2788-7421.1349

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