Secure Image Encryption Based On a Chua Chaotic Noise Generator

• Main Authors: A. S. Andreatos, A. P. Leros
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology 2013-10-01
• Series: Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review
• Subjects: Image encryption; cryptography; Chua's circuit; chaotic true random number generator; Master-Slave configuration; synchronisation; secure communications; black image attack.
• Online Access: http://www.jestr.org/downloads/Volume6Issue4/fulltext11642013.pdf

This paper presents a secure image cryptography telecom system based on a Chua's circuit chaotic noise generator. A chaotic system based on synchronised Master–Slave Chua's circuits has been used as a chaotic true random number generator (CTRNG). Chaotic systems present unpredictable and complex behaviour. This characteristic, together with the dependence on the initial conditions as well as the tolerance of the circuit components, make CTRNGs ideal for cryptography. In the proposed system, the transmitter mixes an input image with chaotic noise produced by a CTRNG. Using thresholding techniques, the chaotic signal is converted to a true random bit sequence. The receiver must be able to reproduce exactly the same chaotic noise in order to subtract it from the received signal. This becomes possible with synchronisation between the two Chua's circuits: through the use of specific techniques, the trajectory of the Slave chaotic system can be bound to that of the Master circuit producing (almost) identical behaviour. Additional blocks have been used in order to make the system highly parameterisable and robust against common attacks. The whole system is simulated in Matlab. Simulation results demonstrate satisfactory performance, as well as, robustness against cryptanalysis. The system works with both greyscale and colour jpg images.