Innovative image encryption approach based on bitwise XOR high nonlinear S-boxes and random permutation

Abstract With today's developing technologies, the need for new image encryption algorithms to encrypt images is inevitable. In this study, an innovative image encryption algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm first XORs each layer of the image with a unique and strong new key. Each layer is then subjected to a random permutation process. Each of the encrypted layers obtained here is finally passed through a new s-box structure with a high nonlinearity value. After these processes, all layers are combined to obtain an encrypted image. Thus, XOR and s-box confusion meet the criteria, while random permutation meets the diffusion criteria. In this study, both key and s-box structures were originally obtained with a chaotic Gaussian map. The outputs of the chaotic map were converted into bit sequences and five different sequences with a length of 1 million were obtained. All these arrays have successfully passed all NIST SP 800-22 tests. On the other hand, the proposed s-box structures surpassed many studies with nonlinearity values of 108, 108.5, and 108.75. The images were successfully encrypted with the proposed algorithm, and the encrypted images successfully completed tests such as NPCR-UACI, information entropy, histogram analysis, and correlation analysis. It is thought that this study will make many contributions to the fields of s-box development, random number generation, and image encryption.