# Security of (2,2) Shamir's visual secret sharing scheme : How are the 2 shares random?

From the Visual Cryptography by Shamir and Noar.

Let us take the pixel expansion as 2. Therefore, each pixel will be represented by 2 pixels (also called as subpixels) in a share. Since this is a (2,2) scheme, we will have 2 shares. In order to create share1 for a white pixel, a fair coin is tossed with 2 possibilities of subpixels - Black&White or White&Black - either one of these 2 choices is chosen to represent a white pixel. It is clear that Share1 is random.

In order to create share2 for a white pixel, is a coin tossed again? If yes, then how is reconstruction of a white pixel assured? If no, then how is share2 random? Assuming that in the reconstructed image, the white pixel will be 50% black and 50% white.

First of all, coin tossing represents a uniform random generator. Therefore, the selections are assumed to be uniform.

In order to create a share for a pixel, as you mentioned, a pixel split into two subpixels. A share for

• a white pixel can be $$[(B|W),(B|W)]$$ or $$[(W|B),(W|B)]$$
• a black pixel can be $$[(B|W),(W|B)]$$ or $$[(W|B),(B|W)]$$, where in $$[(x,y)]$$, $$x$$ represents the color of left pixel and $$y$$ represents the color of right pixel.

or, one can see from the image;

The superposition is putting the images on top of each other. White shares construct a half white and half black square and black shares construct a black square. When the selection is random, the shares are indistinguishable from being white or black.

How a share is constructed

For each pixel, toss a coin to select a row. For example, assuming that when the toss result is Tail, we select the first rows;

• for white pixels, select $$[(B|W),(B|W)]$$ and
• for black pixels, select $$[(B|W),(W|B)]$$.

Similarly, for Head result, we select the second rows.

• for white pixels, select $$[(W|B),(W|B)]$$ and
• for black pixels, select $$[(W|B),(B|W)]$$.

The confusion

If we toss a coin for the second share (instead of selecting the share together), then for example; for a white pixel after a Tail (select first row $$(B|W)$$), we may select the second row with a Head then the white pixel will be shared as $$(B|W)$$ and $$(W|B)$$. In superposition, however, this constructs a black pixel $$(B,B)$$. Therefore, they must be selected together.

Share 1 and share 2 are random in group-wise.

• thanks a lot... – Priyanka Gupta Apr 6 at 7:44