Image cipher using image filtering with 3D DNA-based confusion and diffusion strategy

In this paper, an image cipher is presented based on DNA sequence operations, image filtering and memrisitve chaotic system. Firstly, plain image is preprocessed by a self-updating transformation based on dynamic image filtering (STDIF), which may solve the problem that conventional filtering is invalid for special image such as all-zeros. Subsequently, the resulting image is converted into the DNA sequences by the dynamic DNA encoding rules, and the rules are produced by plain image information and chaotic system. Next, the DNA matrix is permutated by a double random 3D matrix scrambling (DR3DMS), thus every element may arbitrarily move to other position. Thereafter, the permutated matrix is diffused by a plane diffusion of 3D DNA matrix controlled by plain image information (PD3DPI) to resist statistical attacks. Finally, the obtained DNA matrix is transformed into cipher image via DNA decoding rules. Additionally, SHA 256 hash function value of plain image is applied to choose keystreams from the obtained chaotic sequences, which not only solves the problem of repeatedly generating chaotic sequences when encrypting different images, but also results into higher difficulty for hackers to decipher the method by use of plaintext attack. Experimental results and security analyses demonstrate its security and effectiveness.