A secure and efficient image encryption scheme based on chaotic systems and nonlinear transformations

The exponential growth of digital imagery and the widespread adoption of automation and IoT technologies have heightened the need for robust image encryption techniques. Traditional encryption methods such as AES and DES, though effective for textual data, struggle with the high redundancy of images and real-time processing constraints. To address these challenges, this article proposes a novel multi-image encryption scheme integrating a 5D hyperchaotic system, Arnold's Cat Map, and Langton's Ant to achieve high security, efficiency, and resistance to attacks. The encryption process consists of four stages: (1) key generation using a 5D hyperchaotic system, (2) byte substitution using a newly designed S-box, (3) pixel scrambling via Langton's Ant-based diffusion, and (4) transformation using Arnold's Cat Map. The proposed method achieves a high key space of [Formula: see text], low correlation between encrypted pixels, and fast encryption times of 0.1602s for a [Formula: see text] image, making it suitable for real-time applications. Comprehensive security analyses, including histogram analysis, correlation coefficient evaluation, entropy measurement, differential attack resistance (NPCR and UACI), and NIST randomness tests, confirm the robustness of the encryption scheme. The results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing chaotic and hybrid encryption techniques in terms of security, efficiency, and resistance to cryptographic attacks.