Survey on JPEG compatible joint image compression and encryption algorithms

Abstract

In recent years, image encryption has been broadly researched. Since a large proportion of images on Internet are compressed, and JPEG is the most widely adopted standards for image compression, a variety of joint image compression and encryption algorithms have been proposed. JPEG image encryption uses signal processing techniques as well as cryptographic techniques in different stages of the JPEG compression process. Based on the location where the encryption is taken place, these algorithms can be generally classified into three major categories: pre-compression encryption algorithms, in-compression encryption algorithms, and post-compression encryption algorithms, which correspond to conduct encryption operations before, during, and after the compression process. From this perspective of classification, the authors give a comprehensive survey on representative image encryption algorithms of each type, and show their properties and limitations. Some of the most recent encryption schemes that achieve protection at various positions of the compression process are selected for comparison, which are two pre-compression encryption algorithms, four in-compression encryption algorithms, and two post-compression encryption algorithms. Possible future research directions on designing joint JPEG compression and encryption schemes are provided in the end, which may facilitate solving application scenario-oriented JPEG security problems with new technologies.