App. Res. of Comp. Accepted Paper
Vol. 43, 2026 No. 8

Coverless image steganography based on style transfer

Chu Zhiguang1,2
Zhang Yuan1,2
Wang Chen1,2
Zhang Xing1,2
1. School of Electronics & Information Engineering, Liaoning University of Technology, Jinzhou Liaoning 121000, China
2. Key Laboratory of Security for Network and Data in Industrial Internet of Liaoning Province, Jinzhou Liaoning 121000, China
DOI: 10.19734/j.issn.1001-3695.2025.11.0491

Abstract

Traditional modification-based image steganography often causes statistical anomalies and is easily detected by steganalysis. Generative steganography often relies on online transmission of image databases, which brings risks of leakage and tampering. This paper proposed a coverless image steganography method based on style transfer. The method split the secret message into a style-index segment and a content-index segment. The sender and the receiver reconstructed a reproducible face-content library offline by using prompts and deterministic seeds. The sender selected a content image by the content index. The method constructed a reproducible style database and injected the target style into high layers of StyleGAN2, so the style category carried the secret information. Channel attention and dimensionality reduction were introduced into the style encoder to improve the discriminability and cross-end stability of style representation. The receiver recovered the two segments by style matching and AdaFace-based face retrieval, respectively. Experimental results showed that the method achieved consistent cross-end reconstruction of both databases and accurate secret extraction. Identity and geometric structure remained stable while style separability was maintained. The method provides reproducible, robust, and covert steganographic communication without explicit pixel modification or database distribution.

Foundation Support

国家自然科学基金资助项目(61802161)
辽宁省教育厅科学研究经费项目(JYTMS20230838)
2024年辽宁省属本科高校基本科研业务费专项资金资助项目(LJZZ232410154013)
2025年度辽宁省科技计划联合计划"重点研发计划项目"(2025JH2/101800231)

Publish Information

DOI: 10.19734/j.issn.1001-3695.2025.11.0491
Publish at: Application Research of Computers Accepted Paper, Vol. 43, 2026 No. 8

Publish History

[2026-04-23] Accepted Paper

Cite This Article

褚治广, 张圆, 王琛, 等. 基于风格迁移的无载体隐写术 [J]. 计算机应用研究, 2026, 43 (8). (2026-04-30). https://doi.org/10.19734/j.issn.1001-3695.2025.11.0491. (Chu Zhiguang, Zhang Yuan, Wang Chen, et al. Coverless image steganography based on style transfer [J]. Application Research of Computers, 2026, 43 (8). (2026-04-30). https://doi.org/10.19734/j.issn.1001-3695.2025.11.0491. )

About the Journal

  • Application Research of Computers Monthly Journal
  • Journal ID ISSN 1001-3695
    CN  51-1196/TP

Application Research of Computers, founded in 1984, is an academic journal of computing technology sponsored by Sichuan Institute of Computer Sciences under the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province.

Aiming at the urgently needed cutting-edge technology in this discipline, Application Research of Computers reflects the mainstream technology, hot technology and the latest development trend of computer application research at home and abroad in a timely manner. The main contents of the journal include high-level academic papers in this discipline, the latest scientific research results and major application results. The contents of the columns involve new theories of computer discipline, basic computer theory, algorithm theory research, algorithm design and analysis, blockchain technology, system software and software engineering technology, pattern recognition and artificial intelligence, architecture, advanced computing, parallel processing, database technology, computer network and communication technology, information security technology, computer image graphics and its latest hot application technology.

Application Research of Computers has many high-level readers and authors, and its readers are mainly senior and middle-level researchers and engineers engaged in the field of computer science, as well as teachers and students majoring in computer science and related majors in colleges and universities. Over the years, the total citation frequency and Web download rate of Application Research of Computers have been ranked among the top of similar academic journals in this discipline, and the academic papers published are highly popular among the readers for their novelty, academics, foresight, orientation and practicality.

Indexed & Evaluation

  • The Second National Periodical Award 100 Key Journals
  • Double Effect Journal of China Journal Formation
  • the Core Journal of China (Peking University 2023 Edition)
  • the Core Journal for Science
  • Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD) Source Journals
  • RCCSE Chinese Core Academic Journals
  • Journal of China Computer Federation
  • 2020-2022 The World Journal Clout Index (WJCI) Report of Scientific and Technological Periodicals
  • Full-text Source Journal of China Science and Technology Periodicals Database
  • Source Journal of China Academic Journals Comprehensive Evaluation Database
  • Source Journals of China Academic Journals (CD-ROM Version), China Journal Network
  • 2017-2019 China Outstanding Academic Journals with International Influence (Natural Science and Engineering Technology)
  • Source Journal of Top Academic Papers (F5000) Program of China's Excellent Science and Technology Journals
  • Source Journal of China Engineering Technology Electronic Information Network and Electronic Technology Literature Database
  • Source Journal of British Science Digest (INSPEC)
  • Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Source Journal
  • Russian Journal of Abstracts (AJ, VINITI) Source Journals
  • Full-text Journal of EBSCO, USA
  • Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (Natural Sciences) (CSA(NS)) core journals
  • Poland Copernicus Index (IC)
  • Ulrichsweb (USA)