A chaotic image encryption algorithm based on zigzag-like transform and DNA-like coding

This paper proposes an encryption algorithm that uses the initial values and parameters of the chaotic system as the key, and mainly uses the similar deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA-like) coding method and the similar Zigzag (Zigzag-like) transform to encrypt the image. Firstly, the image is pre-scrambled by the method of Zigzag-like transformation, and then the second scrambling is performed by a sorting scrambling algorithm with identification value. Secondly, the image is diffused by DNA-like coding method. Finally, the image is again diffused using the ortho exclusive OR (XOR) method with chaotic perturbation terms. The experimental results show that the chaotic image encryption algorithm proposed in this paper has satisfactory results. In addition, the algorithm is compared to the previously proposed chaotic image encryption algorithm for the Zigzag transform method or the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) coding method. The contribution is to improve the Zigzag transformation method and the DNA coding method, so that it has the advantages of higher security and higher sensitivity. It can also effectively resist exhaustive and differential attacks with better statistical characteristics.