https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-024-01321-0
Review
Multi-image encryption combining four-dimensional chaotic systems and multi-layer embedding
1
College of Information and Communication Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
2
Key Laboratory of Advanced Ship Communication and Information Technology, Harbin Engineering University, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
3
Sichuan Key Laboratory of Agile Intelligent Computing, 610000, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Received:
17
January
2024
Accepted:
29
August
2024
Published online:
8
October
2024
A multi-image encryption technique combining a four-dimensional chaotic system and multi-layer embedding is proposed because images are easily attacked from the outside during network transmission and that traditional image encryption algorithms have limitations such as long encryption time, low ciphertext image security, and poor information diffusion when a single image is encrypted multiple times. algorithm first creates a four-dimensional chaotic system to produce chaotic sequences; the system’s positive Lyapunov exponent indicates that it has chaotic properties in four directions; then, multiple images are processed using multi-layer embedding and chaotic sequences to create a composite image. Next, block scrambling and variable parameter Arnold’s scrambling are combined to perform block sorting and pixel disorder on the composite image. Lastly, the composite image is processed in separate blocks to execute various encryption techniques. To obtain the ciphertext image, several blocks are finally treated using either same-or-different-or diffusion processing. Simulation experiments show that this algorithm has a faster encryption time, better security and information diffusion in the encrypted image, a maximum correlation value of 
0.00244 between adjacent pixels in the ciphertext image, and UACI of 33.4663% and 99.6086%, respectively (the theoretical values are 0, 99.61% and 33.46%)
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