VisGuard: Securing Visualization Dissemination through Tamper-Resistant Data Retrieval

The dissemination of visualizations is primarily in the form of raster images, which often results in the loss of critical information such as source code, interactive features, and metadata. While previous method shave proposed embedding metadata into images to facilitate Visualization Image Data Retrieval (VIDR), most existing method slack practic ability since they are fragile to common image tampering during online distribution such as cropping and editing. To address this issue, we propose Vis Guard, at amper-resistant VIDR frame work that reliably embeds metadata link into visualization images. The embedded data link remains recoverable even after substantial tampering upon images. We propose several techniques to enhance robustness, including repetitive datatiling, invertible information broadcasting, and an anchor-based scheme for crop localization. Vis Guard enables various applications, including inter active chart reconstruction, tampering detection, and copyright protection. We conduct comprehensive experiment son VisGuard's superior performance in data retrieval accuracy, embedding capacity, and security against tampering and steg analysis, demonstrating VisGuard's competence in facilitating and safe guarding visualization dissemination and information conveyance.