Multi-layer authentication scheme for HEVC video based on embedded statistics

A multi-layer authentication scheme for HEVC compressed video is proposed. The combination of CU sizes, which is unique to HEVC and sensitive to video manipulation, is considered along with other elements in the HEVC coding standard to generate the authentication tag. Temporal dependency was enforced, where the authentication tag generated in one slice is embedded into its subsequent slice. By design, the authentication tag is repeatedly but selectively embedded into various elements in a HEVC video, including nonzero DCT coefficients, QP parameter values, and prediction modes, depending on the bit segment in the generated tag. Our scheme offers three layers of authentication to detect and localize the tampered regions in a HEVC video, as well as verifying the source/sender of the video using a shared secret key. Video sequences from various classes (resolutions) are considered to verify the performance of the proposed multi-layer authentication scheme. Results show that, at the expense of slight degradation in perceptual quality, the proposed scheme is robust against several common attacks. A functional comparison is performed between the proposed multi-layer authentication scheme and the conventional schemes. 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.