Scopus Research — Mohammed Jabbar Obaid

A symmetric image encryption algorithm based on a chaotic higher dimensional map is proposed to protect color images against unauthorized access. The algorithm employs a two-phase process: chaotic pixel shuffling for confusion and alterations of the pixel value via bitwise XOR for diffusion, both using pseudo-random sequences generated by the hyperchaotic map. The proposed chaotic map, initialized with conditions derived from a hash-like value generated from the input image pixels, creates cryptographic keys, ensuring enhanced security. Comprehensive security analysis demonstrates the algorithm's robustness, as evidenced by a key space of 2600, near-zero correlation coefficients, and entropy close to 8. Comparative evaluations confirm its superior performance over existing methods in terms of security, resistance to data loss, and efficiency. This work advances the field of image encryption using hyperchaotic dynamics for enhanced security and reliability. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd