<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<article article-type="Research Article">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">journal-of-discrete-mathematical-sciences-and-cryptography</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Journal of Discrete Mathematical Sciences and Cryptography</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn publication-format="electronic">2169-0065</issn>
      <issn publication-format="print">0972-0529</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Taru Publications</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.47974/JDMSC-2816</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Secure data acquisition in web crawlers using steganographically watermarked images</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Saini</surname>
            <given-names>Ashok Kumar</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science &amp; Engineering, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Chauhan</surname>
            <given-names>Madhu</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Application, Jagan Institute of Management Studies, Rohini, New Delhi, Delhi, 110085, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Budhani</surname>
            <given-names>Sandeep  Kumar</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Application, Graphic Era Hill University, Bhimtal Campus, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, 263132, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Malhotra</surname>
            <given-names>Anshu</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering &amp; Technology, K. R. Mangalam University, Gurugram, Haryana, 122103, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Saini</surname>
            <given-names>Madan  Lal</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Apex Institute of Technology (AIT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, 140413, India</aff>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
          <name>
            <surname>Vats</surname>
            <given-names>Prashant</given-names>
          </name>
          <aff>Department of Computer Science &amp; Engineering, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India</aff>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <volume>29</volume>
      <issue>8</issue>
      <fpage>3295</fpage>
      <lpage>3303</lpage>
      <pub-date date-type="pub">
        <day>14</day>
        <month>08</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <abstract>
        <p>This paper proposes a secure web crawling framework using steganographically watermarked images. It embeds instructions covertly while ensuring authentication through watermarking. The approach provides dual-layer security, maintains image quality, and resists attacks. Results show high robustness, payload capacity, and minimal distortion, enhancing confidentiality, integrity, and reliability in large-scale web data collection.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>Web spider crawling</kwd>
        <kwd>Secure data acquisition</kwd>
        <kwd>Image steganography</kwd>
        <kwd>Digital watermarking</kwd>
        <kwd>Information hiding</kwd>
        <kwd>Covert communication</kwd>
        <kwd>Data integrity</kwd>
        <kwd>Authentication</kwd>
        <kwd>Cybersecurity</kwd>
        <kwd>Image processing</kwd>
        <kwd>Content protection</kwd>
        <kwd>Robust watermarking</kwd>
        <kwd>Secure web mining</kwd>
        <kwd>Multimedia security</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <custom-meta-group>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>access</meta-name>
          <meta-value>open</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
        <custom-meta>
          <meta-name>retracted</meta-name>
          <meta-value>no</meta-value>
        </custom-meta>
      </custom-meta-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
