Dynamic visual cryptography based on chaotic oscillations

Dynamic visual cryptography scheme based on chaotic oscillations is proposed in this paper. Special computational algorithms are required for hiding the secret image in the cover moiré grating, but the decryption of the secret is completely visual. The secret image is leaked in the form of time-averaged geometric moiré fringes when the cover image is oscillated by a chaotic law. The relationship among the standard deviation of the stochastic time variable, the pitch of the moiré grating and the pixel size ensuring visual decryption of the secret is derived. The parameters of these chaotic oscillations must be carefully preselected before the secret image is leaked from the cover image. Several computational experiments are used to illustrate the functionality and the applicability of the proposed image hiding technique.     

A new substitution–diffusion based image cipher using chaotic standard and logistic maps

In this paper, we propose a new loss-less symmetric image cipher based on the widely used substitution–diffusion architecture which utilizes chaotic standard and logistic maps. It is specifically designed for the coloured images, which are 3D arrays of data streams. The initial condition, system parameter of the chaotic standard map and number of iterations together constitute the secret key of the algorithm. The first round of substitution/confusion is achieved with the help of intermediate XORing keys calculated from the secret key. Then two rounds of diffusion namely the horizontal and vertical diffusions are completed by mixing the properties of horizontally and vertically adjacent pixels, respectively. In the fourth round, a robust substitution/confusion is accomplished by generating an intermediate chaotic key stream (CKS) image in a novel manner with the help of chaotic standard and logistic maps. The security and performance of the proposed image encryption technique has been analyzed thoroughly using various statistical analysis, key sensitivity analysis, differential analysis, key space analysis, speed analysis, etc. Results of the various types of analysis are encouraging and suggest that the proposed image encryption technique is able to manage the trade offs between the security and speed and hence suitable for the real-time secure image and video communication applications.     

A more secure parallel keyed hash function based on chaotic neural network

Although various hash functions based on chaos or chaotic neural network were proposed, most of them can not work efficiently in parallel computing environment. Recently, an algorithm for parallel keyed hash function construction based on chaotic neural network was proposed [13]. However, there is a strict limitation in this scheme that its secret keys must be nonce numbers. In other words, if the keys are used more than once in this scheme, there will be some potential security flaw. In this paper, we analyze the cause of vulnerability of the original one in detail, and then propose the corresponding enhancement measures, which can remove the limitation on the secret keys. Theoretical analysis and computer simulation indicate that the modified hash function is more secure and practical than the original one. At the same time, it can keep the parallel merit and satisfy the other performance requirements of hash function, such as good statistical properties, high message and key sensitivity, and strong collision resistance, etc.     

A robust chaotic algorithm for digital image steganography

This paper proposes a new robust chaotic algorithm for digital image steganography based on a 3-dimensional chaotic cat map and lifted discrete wavelet transforms. The irregular outputs of the cat map are used to embed a secret message in a digital cover image. Discrete wavelet transforms are used to provide robustness. Sweldens’ lifting scheme is applied to ensure integer-to-integer transforms, thus improving the robustness of the algorithm. The suggested scheme is fast, efficient and flexible. Empirical results are presented to showcase the satisfactory performance of our proposed steganographic scheme in terms of its effectiveness (imperceptibility and security) and feasibility. Comparison with some existing transform domain steganographic schemes is also presented.     

Chaotic hash function based on circular shifts with variable parameters

We propose a chaotic hash algorithm based on circular shifts with variable parameters in this paper. We exploit piecewise linear chaotic map and one-way coupled map lattice to produce initial values and variable parameters. Circular shifts are introduced to improve the randomness of hash values. We evaluate the proposed hash algorithm in terms of distribution of the hash value, sensitivity of the hash value to slight modifications of the original message and secret keys, confusion and diffusion properties, robustness against birthday and meet-in-the-middle attacks, collision tests, analysis of speed, randomness tests, flexibility, computational complexity, and the results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has strong security strength. Compared with the existing chaotic hash algorithms, our algorithm shows moderate statistical performance, better speed, randomness tests, and flexibility.     

Cryptosystem using chaotic keys

According to Kerchoff's principle, the secrecy of a cryptosystem must reside entirely on the secret keys. In this paper, a new cryptosystem is presented and one of its secret keys is generated by a chaotic map, we call it chaotic key. Some experimental results are given and the security of our cryptosystem is discussed.     

Breaking a modified substitution–diffusion image cipher based on chaotic standard and logistic maps

Recently, an image encryption scheme based on chaotic standard and logistic maps was proposed by Patidar et al. It was later reported by Rhouma et al. that an equivalent secret key can be reconstructed with only one known/chosen-plaintext and the corresponding ciphertext. Patidar et al. soon modified the original scheme and claimed that the modified scheme is secure against Rhouma et al.’s attack. In this paper, we point out that the modified scheme is still insecure against the same known/chosen-plaintext attack. In addition, some other security defects existing in both the original and the modified schemes are also reported.     

一种基于无证书生物特征数据的签名方案

在基于ID的无证书签名方案的基础上,通过模糊提取器获取生物特征信息来构造密钥,结合CL-PKC私钥生成原理,提出了一种基于生物特征的无证书签名方案.新方案在随机预言模型下是可证安全的,而且能够抵抗适应性选择消息攻击和ID攻击下的存在性伪造.该方案不仅解决了密钥托管问题而且与传统的方案相比具有较高的效率.     

利用生物特征数据的签名方案研究

研究了基于生物特征的密钥提取,利用模糊提取器将不可精确再生和非均匀分布的生物特征数据生成为可应用于经典密码体系的密钥,密钥的产生和用户的认证紧密结合,使认证和密钥产生这两个密码操作统一在一个密钥原语中实现.并将生物特征数据生成的密钥应用于短签名等经典的数字签名方案,从而达到更高的安全性和实用性.     

Security and efficiency data sharing scheme for cloud storage

With the adoption and diffusion of data sharing paradigm in cloud storage, there have been increasing demands and concerns for shared data security. Ciphertext Policy Attribute-Based Encryption (CP-ABE) is becoming a promising cryptographic solution to the security problem of shared data in cloud storage. However due to key escrow, backward security and inefficiency problems, existing CP-ABE schemes cannot be directly applied to cloud storage system. In this paper, an effective and secure access control scheme for shared data is proposed to solve those problems. The proposed scheme refines the security of existing CP-ABE based schemes. Specifically, key escrow and conclusion problem are addressed by dividing key generation center into several distributed semi-trusted parts. Moreover, secrecy revocation algorithm is proposed to address not only back secrecy but efficient problem in existing CP-ABE based scheme. Furthermore, security and performance analyses indicate that the proposed scheme is both secure and efficient for cloud storage.     

A chaotic block cipher algorithm for image cryptosystems

Recently, many scholars have proposed chaotic cryptosystems in order to promote communication security. However, there are a number of major problems detected in some of those schemes such as weakness against differential attack, slow performance speed, and unacceptable data expansion. In this paper, we introduce a new chaotic block cipher scheme for image cryptosystems that encrypts block of bits rather than block of pixels. It encrypts 256-bits of plainimage to 256-bits of cipherimage within eight 32-bit registers. The scheme employs the cryptographic primitive operations and a non-linear transformation function within encryption operation, and adopts round keys for encryption using a chaotic system. The new scheme is able to encrypt large size of images with superior performance speed than other schemes. The security analysis of the new scheme confirms a high security level and fairly uniform distribution.     

A fast image encryption and authentication scheme based on chaotic maps

In recent years, a variety of chaos-based image cryptosystems have been proposed. The key used for encryption/decryption is usually independent of the plain-image. To achieve a satisfactory level of security, at least two overall rounds of the substitution-diffusion process are required so that a change in any pixels of the plain-image spreads over the whole cipher-image. Moreover, the receiver is not able to determine whether the decrypted image is exactly the one sent. In this paper, a fast image encryption and authentication scheme is proposed. In particular, a keyed hash function is introduced to generate a 128-bit hash value from both the plain-image and the secret hash keys. The hash value plays the role of the key for encryption and decryption while the secret hash keys are used to authenticate the decrypted image. Simulation results show that satisfactory security performance is achieved in only one overall round. The speed efficiency is thus improved.     

A novel image encryption algorithm based on a 3D chaotic map

Recently [Solak E, Çokal C, Yildiz OT Biyikogˇlu T. Cryptanalysis of Fridrich’s chaotic image encryption. Int J Bifur Chaos 2010;20:1405-1413] cryptanalyzed the chaotic image encryption algorithm of [Fridrich J. Symmetric ciphers based on two-dimensional chaotic maps. Int J Bifur Chaos 1998;8(6):1259-1284], which was considered a benchmark for measuring security of many image encryption algorithms. This attack can also be applied to other encryption algorithms that have a structure similar to Fridrich’s algorithm, such as that of [Chen G, Mao Y, Chui, C. A symmetric image encryption scheme based on 3D chaotic cat maps. Chaos Soliton Fract 2004;21:749-761]. In this paper, we suggest a novel image encryption algorithm based on a three dimensional (3D) chaotic map that can defeat the aforementioned attack among other existing attacks. The design of the proposed algorithm is simple and efficient, and based on three phases which provide the necessary properties for a secure image encryption algorithm including the confusion and diffusion properties. In phase I, the image pixels are shuffled according to a search rule based on the 3D chaotic map. In phases II and III, 3D chaotic maps are used to scramble shuffled pixels through mixing and masking rules, respectively. Simulation results show that the suggested algorithm satisfies the required performance tests such as high level security, large key space and acceptable encryption speed. These characteristics make it a suitable candidate for use in cryptographic applications.     

A chaotic image encryption scheme owning temp-value feedback

Many round-based chaotic image encryption algorithms employ the permutation–diffusion structure. This structure has been found insecure when the iteration round is equal to one and the secret permutation of some existing schemes can be recovered even a higher round is adopted. In this paper, we present a single round permutation–diffusion chaotic cipher for gray image, in which some temp-value feedback mechanisms are introduced to resist the known attacks. Specifically, we firstly embed the plaintext feedback technique in the permutation process to develop different permutation sequences for different plain-images and then employ plaintext/ciphertext feedback for diffusion to generate equivalent secret key dynamically. Experimental results show that the new scheme owns large key space and can resist the differential attack. It is also efficient.     

A novel digital image covert communication scheme based on generalized FCM in DCT domain

A novel covert communication method of digital image is presented, based on generalized fuzzy c-means clustering (GFCM), human visual system (HVS) and discrete cosine transform (DCT). Therefore, the original image blocks are classified into two classes according to specified characteristic parameters. So one block is suited for embedding security information, but the other block is not. Hence the appropriate blocks can be selected in an image to embed the security information by selectively modifying the middle-frequency part of the original image in conjunction with HVS and DCT. Furthermore the maximal information strength is fixed based to the frequency masking. Also to improve performances of the proposed algorithm, the security information is modulated into the chaotic modulation array. The simulation results show that we can remarkably extract the hiding security information and can achieve good robustness with common signal distortion or geometric distortion and the quality of the embedded image is guaranteed.     

Steganographic algorithm based on a chaotic map

In this paper, we suggest a new steganographic spatial domain algorithm based on a single chaotic map. Unlike most existing steganographic algorithms, the proposed algorithm uses one chaotic map to determine the pixel position of the host color image, the channel (red, green or blue) and the bit position of the targeted value in which a sensitive information bit can be hidden. Furthermore, this algorithm can be regarded as a variable-sized embedding algorithm. Experimental results demonstrate that this algorithm can defeat many existing steganalytic attacks. In comparison with existing steganographic spatial domain based algorithms, the suggested algorithm is shown to have some advantages over existing ones, namely, larger key space and a higher level of security against some existing attacks.     

A novel keyed parallel hashing scheme based on a new chaotic system

Hash functions play important role in the information security era. Although there are different methods to design these functions, in recent years chaos theory has emerged as a strong solution in this area. Chaotic hash functions use one-dimensional maps such as logistic and tent, or employ complex multi-dimensional maps which are typically insecure or slow and most of them has been successfully attacked. In this paper, we propose a new chaotic system and employ it to design a secure and fast hash function. The improved security factor has roots in the hyper sensitivity of the proposed chaotic map while properties like speed and security can be parameterized. On the other hand, the proposed hash function has a dynamic random array of functions and can be implemented by a parallel architecture. This data-level parallel architecture makes it fast to generate the hash value. Statistical simulations show success of the proposed hashing scheme. Cryptanalysis of proposed function, such as key sensitivity, meet-in-the-middle attack, collision, preimage resistance and high level attacks, proves security of the proposed function.     

Generic cryptographic weakness of k-normal Boolean functions in certain stream ciphers and cryptanalysis of grain-128

This paper considers security implications of k-normal Boolean functions when they are employed in certain stream ciphers. A generic algorithm is proposed for cryptanalysis of the considered class of stream ciphers based on a security weakness of k-normal Boolean functions. The proposed algorithm yields a framework for mounting cryptanalysis against particular stream ciphers within the considered class. Also, the proposed algorithm for cryptanalysis implies certain design guidelines for avoiding certain weak stream cipher constructions. A particular objective of this paper is security evaluation of stream cipher Grain-128 employing the developed generic algorithm. Contrary to the best known attacks against Grain-128 which provide complexity of a secret key recovery lower than exhaustive search only over a subset of secret keys which is just a fraction (up to 5%) of all possible secret keys, the cryptanalysis proposed in this paper provides significantly lower complexity than exhaustive search for any secret key. The proposed approach for cryptanalysis primarily depends on the order of normality of the employed Boolean function in Grain-128. Accordingly, in addition to the security evaluation insights of Grain-128, the results of this paper are also an evidence of the cryptographic significance of the normality criteria of Boolean functions.     

Geometrical contributions to secret sharing theory

Finite geometry has found applications in many different fields and practical environments. We consider one such application, to the theory of secret sharing, where finite projective geometry has proved to be very useful, both as a modelling tool and as a means to establish interesting results. A secret sharing scheme is a means by which some secret data can be shared among a group of entities in such a way that only certain subsets of the entities can jointly compute the secret. Secret sharing schemes are useful for information security protocols, where they can be used to jointly protect cryptographic keys or provide a means of access control. We review the contribution of finite projective geometry to secret sharing theory, highlighting results and techniques where its use has been of particular significance.     

An improved chaos-based secure communication technique using a novel encryption function with an embedded cipher key

In this paper, a secure communication technique, using a chaotic system with a single adjustable parameter and a single observable time series, is proposed. The chosen chaotic system, which is a variant of the famous Rikitake model, has a special structure for which the adjustable parameter appears in the dynamic equation of the observable time series. This particular structure is used to build a synchronization-based state observer that is decoupled from the adaptive parameter identifier. A local Lyapunov function is used to design the parameter identifier, with an adjustable convergence rate that guarantees the stability of the overall system. A two-channel transmission method is used to exemplify the suggested technique where the secret message is encoded using a nonlinear function of both the chaotic states and the adjustable parameter of the chaotic system that acts as a secret key. Simulations show that, at the receiver, the signal can be efficiently retrieved only if the secret key is known, even when both the receiver and the transmitter are in perfect synchronization. The proposed technique is demonstrated to have improved security and privacy against intruders, when compared to other techniques reported in the literature, while being simple to implement using both analog and digital hardware. In addition, the chosen chaotic system is shown to be flexible in accommodating the transmission of signals with variable bandwidths, which promotes the superiority and versatility of the suggested secure communication technique.