Search Results (69)

To address the consumption and security of color images for transmission and storage, a cross-channel color image encryption scheme based on a discrete memristive coupled neuron model and DWT compression is designed in this article. Firstly, the dynamics of the discrete memristive coupled neuron system are analyzed and found to possess the hyperchaotic phenomenon, which provides sufficient security for the encryption scheme. Secondly, the color image processed by discrete wavelet transform (DWT) has a quarter of the previous capacity. Then, the color image is combined with a Hash function, and the resulting Hash sequence is given the initial value of the hyperchaotic system. Next, a particle swarm foraging algorithm (PSFA) is designed to better disrupt the correlation in the RGB channel. Finally, a complementary DNA coding rule is implemented for the further encryption of color images. Simulation results show that even with DWT lossy compression, the recovered image can be clearly seen. The performance analysis illustrates that under the hyperchaotic system, the proposed encryption algorithm brings higher security for color images. Full article

With the fast growth of information technology (IT), the safety of image transmission and the storing of images are becoming increasingly important. Traditional image encryption algorithms have certain limitations in transmission and security, so there is an urgent need for a secure and reliable image encryption algorithm. A universal compression sensing (CS) image encryption (IE) algorithm based on DNA-triploid mutation (DTM) is presented in this paper. Firstly, by using the CS algorithm, an image is compressed while obtaining a range of chaotic sequences by iteration of a chaotic map. Then, DNA sequences are generated by encoding the image and, based on the DTM, new mutant DNA sequences are generated according to specific rules. Next, the chaotic sequences are operated at the DNA level to perform confusion and diffusion operations on the image to ensure the security of the data. Finally, DNA decoding is carried out to obtain the compressed encrypted image. The simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively complete encryption and decryption of images. The performance test results show that the algorithm has a sufficiently large key space of 10⁵⁸⁷. The information entropy of the cipher image is close to 8. In summary, both simulation experiments and performance tests fully show that a high level of security and reliability for the proposed algorithm in protecting image privacy is achieved. Full article

To construct a chaotic system with complex characteristics and to improve the security of image data, a five-dimensional tri-valued memristor chaotic system with high complexity is innovatively constructed. Firstly, a pressure-controlled tri-valued memristor on Liu’s pseudo-four-wing chaotic system is introduced. Through analytical methods, such as Lyapunov exponential map, bifurcation map and attractor phase diagram, it is demonstrated that the new system has rich dynamical behaviors with periodic limit rings varying with the coupling parameter of the system, variable airfoil phenomenon as well as transient chaotic phenomenon of chaos-periodic depending on the system parameter and chaos-quasi-periodic depending on the memristor parameter. The system is simulated with dynamic circuits based on Simulink. Secondly, the differently structured synchronous controls of chaotic systems are realized using a nonlinear feedback control method. Finally, based on the newly constructed five-dimensional chaotic system, a variable parameter color image encryption scheme is proposed to iteratively generate varying chaotic pseudo-random sequences by varying the system parameters, which will be used for repetition-free disambiguation, additive modulo left-shift diffusion and DNA encryption for the three components of RGB of the color image after chunking. The simulation results are analyzed by histogram, information entropy, adjacent pixel correlation, etc., and the images are tested using differential attack, noise attack and geometric attack, as well as analyzing the PSNR and SSIM of the decrypted image quality. The results show that the encryption method has a certain degree of security and can be applied to medical, military and financial fields with more complex environmental requirements. Full article

The symmetry of neuron discharging has some relationship with the electrophysiological characteristics and dynamic behavior of a neuron, and has a close relation with the symmetry of ion channels, current balance, neuron type, synaptic transmission, and network effects. Among them, the feedback and interactions in the network have a particularly direct impact on the symmetrical discharge of a neuron element. This work introduces a memristor as a synapse into a neuron cell, taking the membrane potential back to ion channels, and therefore various symmetric firing behaviors of Hindmarsh–Rose (HR) neurons are observed, including chaos and various periodic firings. By further adjusting the feedback, coexisting symmetrical discharge of the neuron is achieved. Furthermore, the impact of frequency variations on the memristor synapse is analyzed, and thus the operating regimes of memristor and resistor are classified and discussed. Circuit simulations prove the neural chaotic firings along with their symmetrized discharging processes, demonstrating the effectiveness of symmetrical control of chaotic discharge. Finally, applying the symmetrical system to DNA image encryption can effectively protect the security of images. Full article

Ensuring confidentiality and privacy is critical when it comes to sharing images over unsecured networks such as the internet. Since widely used and secure encryption methods, such as AES, Twofish, and RSA, are not suitable for real-time image encryption due to their slow encryption speeds and high computational requirements, researchers have proposed specialized algorithms for image encryption. This paper provides an introduction and overview of the image encryption algorithms and metrics used, aiming to evaluate them and help researchers and practitioners starting in this field obtain adequate information to understand the current state of image encryption algorithms. This paper classifies image encryption into seven different approaches based on the techniques used and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Furthermore, this paper provides a detailed review of a comprehensive set of security, quality, and efficiency evaluation metrics for image encryption algorithms, and provides upper and lower bounds for these evaluation metrics. Finally, this paper discusses the pros and cons of different image encryption approaches as well as the suitability of different image encryption approaches for different applications. Full article

The widespread adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) across various domains has ushered numerous applications into our daily lives. Ensuring the security of sensitive data, including wirelessly transmitted private information and images generated by IoT devices is paramount. However, IoT devices are often termed “constraint devices” due to their limited computational resources like CPU power or memory capacity. Also, ensuring the integrity of IoT devices and networks is imperative in fostering trust in the capabilities and benefits of IoT technology. Addressing data tampering, device vulnerabilities, and network weaknesses through proactive security measures is essential in realizing the full potential of the IoT while safeguarding against potential risks and disruptions. Traditional encryption approaches prove inadequate, as they demand excessive computational power; this is a challenge for IoT devices. To address this, a novel and less intrusive encryption method has been proposed, leveraging the inherent unpredictability of DNA nucleotide sequences. This approach is tailored to accommodate the resource constraints of IoT devices. By harnessing the intrinsic randomness of DNA sequences, a robust secret key is generated, significantly bolstering resilience against attackers. The key is crafted through uncomplicated substitution techniques and transposition operations. Upon satisfying the computational requisites of IoT devices and safeguarding image security, a DNA-based key comes into play for photo encryption. Rigorous testing has demonstrated its effectiveness, showcasing its superior attributes in terms of key size, encryption speed, and distortion minimization when compared to alternative encryption techniques. This innovative encryption paradigm not only upholds the integrity of IoT-generated data but does so without overwhelming the devices’ limited computing capabilities. Full article

Protecting transmitted multimedia data such as images is a significant concern. This work proposes an encryption algorithm for greyscale images using a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG), DNA coding, and pixel sum. The proposed approach is implemented on a Genesys 2 FPGA using minimal hardware resources and can operate at a maximum frequency of 110.8 MHz. In addition, several performance evaluation tests are conducted for multiple images, including statistical analysis of the encrypted image, keyspace analysis, and differential attack analysis. The system is compared to recent works with respect to encryption quality and used hardware resources. The proposed scheme outperformed recent chaos-based image encryption schemes. Full article

Maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the messages during a transmission is one of the most important aims of encrypted communication systems. Many achievements were made using biomolecules to improve the quality of the messages in communication. At the same time, it is still a challenge to construct cooperative communications based on the interactions between biomolecules to achieve the confidentiality and integrity of the transmitted messages. DNA-based encrypted communications have been developed, and in particular, DNA-origami-based message encryption can combine steganography and pattern encryption and exhibits extremely high confidentiality. Nevertheless, limited by biological characteristics, encrypted messages based on DNA require a strict storage environment in the process of transmission. The integrity of the message encoded in the DNA may be damaged when the DNA is in an unfriendly and hard environment. Therefore, it is particularly significant to improve the stability of DNA when it is exposed to a harsh environment during transmission. Here, we encoded the information into the DNA strands that were condensed for encryption to form a nanosphere covered with a shell of SiO₂, which brings high-density messages and exhibits higher stability than separated DNA. The solid shell of SiO₂ could prevent DNA from contacting the harsh environment, thereby protecting the DNA structure and maintaining the integrity of the information. At the same time, DNA nanospheres can achieve high throughput input and higher storage density per unit volume, which contribute to confusing the message strand (M-strand) with the interference strand in the stored information. Condensing DNA into the nanosphere that is used for DNA origami cryptography has the potential to be used in harsh conditions with higher confidentiality and integrity for the transmitted messages. Full article

With the advancement of information technology, the security of digital images has become increasingly important. To ensure the integrity of images, a novel color image-encryption algorithm based on extended DNA coding, Zig-Zag transform, and a fractional-order laser system is proposed in this paper. First, the dynamic characteristics of the fractional-order laser chaotic system (FLCS) were analyzed using a phase diagram and Lyapunov exponent spectra. The chaotic sequences generated by the system were used to design image-encryption algorithms. Second, a modified Zig-Zag confusing method was adopted to confuse the image. Finally, in the diffusion link, the DNA encoding scheme was extended to allow for a greater number of DNA encoding rules, increasing the randomness of the matrix and improving the security of the encryption scheme. The performance of the designed encryption algorithm is analyzed using key space, a histogram, information entropy, correlation coefficients, differential attack, and robustness analysis. The experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm can withstand multiple decryption methods and has strong encryption capability. The proposed novel color image-encryption scheme enables secure communication of digital images. Full article

In this paper, a Banyan network with high parallelism and nonlinearity is used for the first time in image encryption to ensure high complexity and randomness in a cipher image. To begin, we propose a new 1-D chaotic system (1-DSCM) which improves the chaotic behavior and control parameters’ structure of the sin map. Then, based on 1-DSCM, a Banyan network, and SHA-256 hash function, a novel image encryption algorithm is conducted. Firstly, a parameter is calculated using SHA-256 hash function and then employed to preprocess the plaintext image to guarantee high plaintext sensitivity. Secondly, a row–column permutation operation is performed to gain the scrambled image. Finally, based on the characteristic of DNA encoding, a novel DNA mapping is constructed using an $N=4$ Banyan network and is used to diffuse the scrambled image. Simulation results show that the 1-DSCM has excellent performance in chaotic behavior and that our encryption algorithm exhibits strong robustness against various attacks and is suitable for use in modern cryptosystems. Full article

Images, as a crucial information carrier in the era of big data, are constantly generated, stored, and transmitted. Determining how to guarantee the security of images is a hot topic in the information security community. Image encryption is a simple and direct approach for this purpose. In order to cope with this issue, we propose a novel scheme based on eight-base DNA-level permutation and diffusion, termed as EDPD, for color image encryption in this paper. The proposed EDPD integrates secure hash algorithm-512 (SHA-512), a four-dimensional hyperchaotic system, and eight-base DNA-level permutation and diffusion that conducts on one-dimensional sequences and three-dimensional cubes. To be more specific, the EDPD has four main stages. First, four initial values for the proposed chaotic system are generated from plaintext color images using SHA-512, and a four-dimensional hyperchaotic system is constructed using the initial values and control parameters. Second, a hyperchaotic sequence is generated from the four-dimensional hyperchaotic system for consequent encryption operations. Third, multiple permutation and diffusion operations are conducted on different dimensions with dynamic eight-base DNA-level encoding and algebraic operation rules determined via the hyperchaotic sequence. Finally, DNA decoding is performed in order to obtain the cipher images. Experimental results from some common testing images verify that the EDPD has excellent performance in color image encryption and can resist various attacks. Full article

Nowadays, with the increase in cyber-attacks, hacking, and data theft, maintaining data security and confidentiality is of paramount importance. Several techniques are used in cryptography and steganography to ensure their safety during the transfer of information between the two parties without interference from an unauthorized third party. This paper proposes a modern approach to cryptography and steganography based on exploiting a new environment: bases and protein chains used to encrypt and hide sensitive data. The protein bases are used to form a cipher key whose length is twice the length of the data to be encrypted. During the encryption process, the plain data and the cipher key are represented in several forms, including hexadecimal and binary representation, and several arithmetic operations are performed on them, in addition to the use of logic gates in the encryption process to increase encrypted data randomness. As for the protein chains, they are used as a cover to hide the encrypted data. The process of hiding inside the protein bases will be performed in a sophisticated manner that is undetectable by statistical analysis methods, where each byte will be fragmented into three groups of bits in a special order, and each group will be included in one specific protein base that will be allocated to this group only, depending on the classifications of bits that have been previously stored in special databases. Each byte of the encrypted data will be hidden in three protein bases, and these protein bases will be distributed randomly over the protein chain, depending on an equation designed for this purpose. The advantages of these proposed algorithms are that they are fast in encrypting and hiding data, scalable, i.e., insensitive to the size of plain data, and lossless algorithms. The experiments showed that the proposed cryptography algorithm outperforms the most recent algorithms in terms of entropy and correlation values that reach −0.6778 and 7.99941, and the proposed steganography algorithm has the highest payload of 2.666 among five well-known hiding algorithms that used DNA sequences as the cover of the data. Full article

In medical information systems, image data can be considered crucial information. As imaging technology and methods for analyzing medical images advance, there will be a greater wealth of data available for study. Hence, protecting those images is essential. Image encryption methods are crucial in multimedia applications for ensuring the security and authenticity of digital images. Recently, the encryption of medical images has garnered significant attention from academics due to concerns about the safety of medical communication. Advanced approaches, such as e-health, smart health, and telemedicine applications, are employed in the medical profession. This has highlighted the issue that medical images are often produced and shared online, necessitating protection against unauthorized use. Full article

As an effective method for image security protection, image encryption is widely used in data hiding and content protection. This paper proposes an image encryption algorithm based on an improved Hilbert curve with DNA coding. Firstly, the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) decomposes the plaintext image by three-level DWT to obtain the high-frequency and low-frequency components. Secondly, different modes of the Hilbert curve are selected to scramble the high-frequency and low-frequency components. Then, the high-frequency and low-frequency components are reconstructed separately using the inverse discrete wavelet transform (IDWT). Then, the bit matrix of the image pixels is scrambled, changing the pixel value while changing the pixel position and weakening the strong correlation between adjacent pixels to a more significant correlation. Finally, combining dynamic DNA coding and ciphertext feedback to diffuse the pixel values improves the encryption effect. The encryption algorithm performs the scrambling and diffusion in alternating transformations of space, frequency, and spatial domains, breaking the limitations of conventional scrambling. The experimental simulation results and security analysis show that the encryption algorithm can effectively resist statistical attacks and differential attacks with good security and robustness. Full article

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) computing has demonstrated great potential in data encryption due to its capability of parallel computation, minimal storage requirement, and unbreakable cryptography. Focusing on high-dimensional image data for encryption with DNA computing, we propose a novel hash encoding-based DNA computing algorithm, which consists of a DNA hash encoding module and content-aware encrypting module. Inspired by the significant properties of the hash function, we build a quantity of hash mappings from image pixels to DNA computing bases, properly integrating the advantages of the hash function and DNA computing to boost performance. Considering the correlation relationship of pixels and patches for modeling, a content-aware encrypting module is proposed to reorganize the image data structure, resisting the crack with non-linear and high dimensional complexity originating from the correlation relationship. The experimental results suggest that the proposed method performs better than most comparative methods in key space, histogram analysis, pixel correlation, information entropy, and sensitivity measurements. Full article