A novel method for lossless image compression and encryption based on LWT, SPIHT and cellular automata

In this paper, a novel method for lossless image encryption based on set partitioning in hierarchical trees and cellular automata. The proposed encryption method embeds the encryption into the compression process, in which a small part of the data is encrypted quickly, while maintaining the good coding characteristics of set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT). The proposed encryption system adopts three stages of scrambling and diffusion. In each stage of encryption, different chaotic systems are used to generate the plaintext-related key stream to maintain high security and to resist some attacks. Moreover, the channel length of the coded-and-compressed color image is more uncertain, resulting into higher difficulty for attackers to decipher the algorithm. The experimental results indicate that the length of bitstream is compressed to 50% of the original image, showing that our proposed algorithm has higher lossless compression ratio compared with the existing algorithms. Meanwhile, the encryption scheme passes the entropy analysis, sensitivity analysis, lossless recovery test, and SP800-22 test.