Use the secret key instead of LSB as a Pointer with MSB to hide the data for greater security than the LSB-MSB combination method

Steganography in images has become an important technique for protecting sensitive information by concealing data within images. While current techniques offer some levels of security, there is always a risk of detection or extraction by unauthorized parties. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to significantly enhance the security of image steganography by using a secret key as a pointer to guide the data hiding process. Our proposal introduces a unique blend of two established techniques: combine the Least Significant Bit (LSB) and Bit of secret key we designate the least significant bit of the image pixel according to the secret key bit, thus embedding the data. This modification adds an additional layer of complexity, making it difficult for attackers to detect any hidden data. We provide a detailed algorithm outlining the process of embedding and extracting data, emphasizing the role of the secret key. The key itself is encrypted using a secure algorithm, ensuring that even if hidden data is discovered, decrypting it remains exceedingly challenging. Experimental results. The result was excellent as the proposed method increased security without affecting image quality.