Cryptanalysis of Image Encryption Algorithms Based on Pixels Shuffling and Bits Shuffling

Abstract

In this paper, cryptanalysis of a certain class of shuffling-based image encryption algorithms is presented. The class includes the image encryption algorithms which either use a combination of pixels and bits level shuffling or bits level shuffling only. The proposed chosen plaintext attack on such algorithms can recover the plaintext image without having any clue or secret key. To demonstrate the practicability and effectiveness of the attack, it is applied to break one such algorithm recently suggested by Huang et al. in [Telecommun Syst 52(2), 563–571, 2013]. The Huang et al. image encryption uses a combination of pixel-level shuffling followed by bit-level shuffling. The simulation of the attack justifies the feasibility of the proposed cryptanalysis. The attack can be easily extended to break other such image encryption algorithms as well. Further, some security issues related to these algorithms are discussed and few preferments are propounded which can make the class of encryption algorithms more robust against the proposed attack.