Secure Color Image Encryption: An Innovative Algorithm based on 8D Hyperchaotic System and DNA Encoding Strategies

Abstract

In recent years, the increasing demand for secure image transmission and storage has necessitated the development of robust and efficient image encryption algorithms. This study presents a novel color image encryption algorithm based on an 8-dimensional (8D) hyperchaotic system and DNA encoding techniques. The proposed algorithm exploits the inherent complexity and unpredictability of the 8D hyperchaotic system to enhance security, while leveraging the unique properties of DNA sequences for encoding and data manipulation. The proposed encryption process consists of three main stages: (1) generation of chaotic sequences from the 8D hyperchaotic system, (2) DNA encoding of the color image using a set of predefined DNA encoding rules, and (3) an encryption process that combines chaotic sequences with DNA-encoded image data through a series of substitution and permutation operations. The decryption process reverses these stages to recover the original image. Comprehensive security analysis, including key space analysis, sensitivity analysis, and correlation analysis, demonstrates that the proposed algorithm provides a high level of security against various attacks. Additionally, performance evaluation based on image quality metrics, such as Mean Square Error (MSE) and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), confirms the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for color image encryption applications.