Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An efficient grayscale image encryption scheme based on variable length row-column swapping operations

  • Published:
Multimedia Tools and Applications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Swapping a row with a row, a column with a column or row with a column are usual operations carried out to scramble the given input plain image. To introduce more complications for the potential hackers, a novel grayscale image encryption scheme using the variable length row-column swapping based scrambling (VLRCSBS) has been proposed in this study. Security of the cipher would be improved in this way. Two chaotic maps, Henon map and piecewise linear chaotic map (PWLCM) have been used. These maps provide three streams of random numbers. Two more streams of random numbers have been created by manipulating the two streams of Henon map. After the grayscale image is input, arbitrary row and column are selected from this image to realize the scrambling effects. A randomly selected vector of pixels from these selected rows and columns is swapped with each other for a number of times. If selected vectors of pixels intersect each other, then to avoid the loss of pixels data, an intersection filter (IF) has been employed to forgo the intersecting vectors of selected pixels from the row and column for swapping. Resultantly, the given image is confused abundantly. An Exclusive-OR(XOR) operation is conducted between the scrambled image and the keystream given by PWLCM to get the final encrypted image. In the previous studies, whole rows and whole columns were swapped with each other. Our study swapped randomly selected portions of the rows and columns for scrambling, which spawned more security. In order to introduce the plaintext sensitivity in the proposed cipher, the hash codes given by the SHA-256 hash function for each input image have been used to update the system parameters and the initial values of the chaotic systems. The value of information entropy attained through the proposed algorithm is 7.9975 which is very competitive. Besides, the simulation and the performance analyses with varied validation metrics express the robustness, defiance to the multifarious threats and potential for some real world application of the cipher.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alghafis A, Firdousi F, Khan M, Batool SI, Amin M (2020) An efficient image encryption scheme based on chaotic and Deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing. Math Comput Simul 177:441–466

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Ali TS, Ali R (2020) A new chaos based color image encryption algorithm using permutation substitution and Boolean operation. Multimed Tools Appl pp 1–21

  3. Cao C, Sun K, Liu W (2018) A novel bit-level image encryption algorithm based on 2D-LICM hyperchaotic map. Signal Process 143:122–133

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chai X, Fu X, Gan Z, Lu Y, Chen Y (2019) A color image cryptosystem based on dynamic DNA encryption and chaos. Signal Process 155:44–62

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chai X, Bi J, Gan Z, Liu X, Zhang Y, Chen Y (2020) Color image compression and encryption scheme based on compressive sensing and double random encryption strategy. Signal Process p 107684

  6. Chen L, Ma B, Zhao X, Wang S (2017) Differential cryptanalysis of a novel image encryption algorithm based on chaos and Line map. Nonlinear Dyn 87(3):1797–1807

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Diaconu AV (2015) KenKen puzzle-based image encryption algorithm. In Proc Rom Acad Ser A 16:313-320

  8. Dorgham O, Al-Rahamneh B, Almomani A, Khatatneh KF (2018) Enhancing the security of exchanging and storing DICOM medical images on the cloud. Int J Cloud Appl Comput 8(1):154–172

    Google Scholar 

  9. Floating-Point Working Group (1985) IEEE computer society: IEEE standard for binary floating-point arithmetic, Standard 754–1985

  10. Guo H, Zhang X, Zhao X, Yu H, Zhang L (2020) Quadratic function chaotic system and its application on digital image encryption. IEEE Access 8:55540–55549

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hanif M, Naqvi RA, Abbas S, Khan MA, Iqbal N (2020) A novel and efficient 3D multiple images encryption scheme based on chaotic systems and swapping operations. IEEE Access 8:123536–123555

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hoang TM, Thanh HX (2018) Cryptanalysis and security improvement for a symmetric color image encryption algorithm. Optik 155:366–383

    Google Scholar 

  13. Iqbal N, Abbas S, Khan MA, Alyas T, Fatima A, Ahmad A (2019) An rgb image cipher using chaotic systems, 15-puzzle problem and dna computing. IEEE Access 7:174051–174071

    Google Scholar 

  14. Iqbal N, Hanif M, Abbas S, Khan MA, Rehman ZU (2021) Dynamic 3D scrambled image based RGB image encryption scheme using hyperchaotic system and DNA encoding. J Inf Secur Appl 58:102809

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jian ZH, Da HU (2018) Quantum image encryption algorithm based on chaotic system and DNA coding. Journal of Southwest Jiaotong University 53(6)

  16. Jithin KC, Sankar S (2020) Colour image encryption algorithm combining Arnold map, DNA sequence operation, and a Mandelbrot set. J Inf Secur Appl 50:102428

    Google Scholar 

  17. Joe H (2005) Asymptotic efficiency of the two-stage estimation method for copula-based models. J Multivar Anal 94(2):401–419

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. Khan M, Masood F (2019) A novel chaotic image encryption technique based on multiple discrete dynamical maps. Multimed Tools Appl 78(18):26203–26222

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kulsoom A, Xiao D, Abbas SA (2016) An efficient and noise resistive selective image encryption scheme for gray images based on chaotic maps and DNA complementary rules. Multimed Tools Appl 75(1):1–23

    Google Scholar 

  20. Li S, Chen G, Mou X (2005) On the dynamical degradation of digital piecewise linear chaotic maps. Int J Bifurcation Chaos 15(10):3119–3151

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Liao X, Kulsoom A, Ullah S (2016) A modified (Dual) fusion technique for image encryption using SHA-256 hash and multiple chaotic maps. Multimed Tools Appl 75(18):11241–11266

    Google Scholar 

  22. Liao X, Hahsmi MA, Haider R (2018) An efficient mixed inter-intra pixels substitution at 2bits-level for image encryption technique using DNA and chaos. Optik 153:117–134

    Google Scholar 

  23. Masood F, Ahmad J, Shah SA, Jamal SS, Hussain I (2020) A novel hybrid secure image encryption based on julia set of fractals and 3D Lorenz chaotic map. Entropy 22(3):274

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  24. Murillo-Escobar MA, Meranza-Castillón MO, López-Gutiérrez RM, Cruz-Hernández C (2019) Suggested integral analysis for chaos-based image cryptosystems. Entropy 21:815

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  25. Norouzi B, Mirzakuchaki S (2014) A fast color image encryption algorithm based on hyper-chaotic systems. Nonlinear Dyn 78(2):995–1015

    Google Scholar 

  26. Norouzi B, Seyedzadeh SM, Mirzakuchaki S, Mosavi MR (2015) A novel image encryption based on row-column, masking and main diffusion processes with hyper chaos. Multimed Tools Appl 74(3):781–811

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  27. Parvin Z, Seyedarabi H, Shamsi M (2016) A new secure and sensitive image encryption scheme based on new substitution with chaotic function. Multimed Tools Appl 75(17):10631–10648

    Google Scholar 

  28. Ping P, Xu F, Mao Y, Wang Z (2018) Designing permutation–substitution image encryption networks with Henon map. Neurocomputing 283:53–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Qayyum A, Ahmad J, Boulila W, Rubaiee S, Masood F, Khan F, Buchanan WJ (2020) Chaos-based confusion and diffusion of image pixels using dynamic substitution. IEEE Access 8:140876–140895

    Google Scholar 

  30. Shannon CE (1949) Communication theory of secrecy systems. Bell Syst Tech J 28(4):656–715

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  31. Sivakumar T, Venkatesan R (2016) A New Image Encryption Method Based on Knight’s Travel Path and True Random Number. J Inf Sci Eng 32(1):133–152

    Google Scholar 

  32. Sun S, Guo Y, Wu R (2019) A novel image encryption scheme based on 7D hyperchaotic system and row-column simultaneous swapping. IEEE Access 7:28539–28547

    Google Scholar 

  33. Taneja N, Raman B, Gupta I (2012) Combinational domain encryption for still visual data. Multimed Tools Appl 59(3):775–793

    Google Scholar 

  34. Ur Rehman A, Liao X, Wang H (2021) An innovative technique for image encryption using tri-partite graph and chaotic maps. Multimed Tools Appl pp 1–27

  35. Wang B, Zhang BF, Liu XW (2021) An image encryption approach on the basis of a time delay chaotic system. Optik 225:165737

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wang X, Wang Q, Zhang Y (2015) A fast image algorithm based on rows and columns switch. Nonlinear Dyn 79(2):1141–1149

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  37. Wang X, Liu C (2017) A novel and effective image encryption algorithm based on chaos and DNA encoding. Multimed Tools Appl 76(5):6229–6245

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wu J, Liao X, Yang B (2018) Cryptanalysis and enhancements of image encryption based on three-dimensional bit matrix permutation. Signal Process 142:292–300

    Google Scholar 

  39. Wu X, Wang K, Wang X, Kan H, Kurths J (2018) Color image DNA encryption using NCA map-based CML and one-time keys. Signal Process 148:272–287

    Google Scholar 

  40. Wu Y, Zhou Y, Noonan JP, Panetta K, Agaian S (2010) Image encryption using the sudoku matrix. In Mobile Multimedia/Image Processing, Security, and Applications. International Society for Optics and Photonics. 7708:77080P

  41. Wu Y, Noonan JP, Agaian S (2011) NPCR and UACI randomness tests for image encryption. Cyber journals: multidisciplinary journals in science and technology. J Sel Areas Commun 1(2):31–38

    Google Scholar 

  42. Xian Y, Wang X (2021) Fractal sorting matrix and its application on chaotic image encryption. Inf Sci 547:1154–1169

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  43. Xu L, Li Z, Li J, Hua W (2016) A novel bit-level image encryption algorithm based on chaotic maps. Opt Lasers Eng 78:17–25

    Google Scholar 

  44. Yang Y-G et al (2019) Image compression-encryption scheme based on fractional order hyper-chaotic systems combined with 2D compressed sensing and DNA encoding. Opt Laser Technol 119:105661

    Google Scholar 

  45. Zhang W, Wong KW, Yu H, Zhu ZL (2013) A symmetric color image encryption algorithm using the intrinsic features of bit distributions. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul 18(3):584–600

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  46. Zhang W, Yu H, Zhao YL, Zhu ZL (2016) Image encryption based on three-dimensional bit matrix permutation. Signal Process 118:36–50

    Google Scholar 

  47. Zhang YQ, Wang XY (2014) A symmetric image encryption algorithm based on mixed linear-nonlinear coupled map lattice. Inf Sci 273:329–351

    Google Scholar 

  48. Zhou G, Zhang D, Liu Y, Yuan Y, Liu Q (2015) A novel image encryption algorithm based on chaos and Line map. Neurocomputing 169:150–157

    Google Scholar 

  49. Zhou Y, Li C, Li W, Li H, Feng W, Qian K (2021) Image encryption algorithm with circle index table scrambling and partition diffusion. Nonlinear Dyn 103(2):2043–2061

    Google Scholar 

  50. Zhu C (2012) A novel image encryption scheme based on improved hyperchaotic sequences. Opt Commun 285(1):29–37

    Google Scholar 

  51. Zhu ZL, Zhang W, Wong KW, Yu H (2011) A chaos-based symmetric image encryption scheme using a bit-level permutation. Inf Sci 181(6):1171–1186

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science and IT, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

    Nadeem Iqbal

  2. Department of Computer Science, Bahria University (Lahore Campus), Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Hanif

Authors
  1. Nadeem Iqbal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Muhammad Hanif
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nadeem Iqbal.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Iqbal, N., Hanif, M. An efficient grayscale image encryption scheme based on variable length row-column swapping operations. Multimed Tools Appl 80, 36305–36339 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-021-11386-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-021-11386-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation