2010 International Conference on Multimedia Communications

A Novel Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Fractional Fourier

Transform and Chaotic System

Jinhui Lai, Song Liang, Delong Cui

College of Computer and Electronic Information
Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology
Maoming China
delongcui@163.com
At the same time, cryptanalytic work on proposed image
encryption schemes has also been developed, and some
existing schemes have been found to be insecure from the
cryptographical point of view [5]. Due to the tight
relationship between chaos and cryptography, chaotic
systems have been widely used in image encryption to
realize diffusion and confusion in a good cipher [6].
In this paper a novel image encryption algorithm based
on chaotic system and fractional Fourier transform is
proposed. The image encryption process includes two steps:
first the image is encrypted by employing Fractional Fourier
domain double random phase, then the confusion image is
encrypted by using confusion matrix which is generated by
chaotic system, and finally the cipher image is obtained. The
security of the proposed algorithm depends on the sensitivity
to the randomness of phase mask, the orders of FRFT and
the initial conditions of chaotic system. Theoretical analysis
and experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm is
favourable.
The remaining of this paper is organized as follows. The
concept of FRFT is briefly introduced in section. The
chaotic key-based image encryption algorithm and security
analysis are described in section. A conclusion is drawn
in section.

AbstractIn order to cope with the shortage of present image

encryption algorithm, a novel image encryption algorithm
based on chaotic system and fractional Fourier transform is
proposed in this paper. The image encryption process includes
two steps: first the image is encrypted by employing Fractional
Fourier domain double random phase, then the confusion
image is encrypted by using confusion matrix which is
generated by chaotic system, and finally the cipher image is
obtained. The security of the proposed algorithm depends on
the sensitivity to the randomness of phase mask, the orders of
FRFT and the initial conditions of chaotic system. Theoretical
analysis and experimental results demonstrate that the
algorithm is favorable.
Keywords-information security; image encryption; fractional
Fourier transform; double random phase; chaotic system;
confusion matrix

I.

INTRODUCTION

In the digital world today, the security of digital images

becomes more and more important, since the
communications of digital products over networks occur
more and more frequently. Furthermore, special and reliable
security in storage and transmission of digital images is
needed in many applications, such as pay-TV, medical
imaging systems, military image database and
communications as well as confidential video conferencing,
etc. In order to transmit secret images to other people, a
variety of encryption schemes have been proposed. There are
two levels of security for digital image encryption: low level
and high-level security encryption. In low-level security
encryption, the encrypted image has degraded visual quality
compared to that of the original one, but the content of the
image is still visible and understandable to the viewers. In
the high-level security case, the content is completely
scrambled and the image just looks like random noise. In this
case, the image is not understandable to the viewers at all.
Selective encryption aims at avoiding the encryption of all
bits of a digital image and yet ensuring a secure encryption.
The key point is to encrypt only a small part of the bit stream
to obtain a fast method [1].
Recently many specific algorithms have been proposed,
aiming to provide better solutions to image encryption [2-4].
978-0-7695-4136-5/10 $26.00 2010 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/MEDIACOM.2010.30

II.

FRACTIONAL FOURIER TRANSFORM

The Fourier transform (FT) is undoubtedly one of the

most valuable and frequently used tools in signal processing
and analysis. The fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is the
generalization of the classical Fourier transform. It depends
on a parameter (=a/2) and can be interpreted as a rotation
by an angle in the time-frequency plane or decomposition
of the signal in terms of chirps.
The idea of fractional powers of the Fourier transform
operator appears in the mathematical literature as early as
1929 [7]. The FRFT was first introduced by Victor Namias
in 1980. Furthermore, a general definition of FRFT for all
classes of signals (one- and multidimensional, continuous
and discrete, and periodic and nonperiodic) was given by
Cariolario et al. [8]. Nowadays, FRFT has established itself
as a powerful tool for the analysis of time-varying signals in

24

TABLE I.

a very short span of time. Therefore, applications of the

transform include in solution of differential equations,
optical beam propagation and spherical mirror resonators,
optical diffraction theory, quantum mechanics, statistical
optics, optical system design and optical signal processing,
signal detectors, correlation and pattern recognition, space or
time-variant filtering, signal and image recovery, restoration
and enhancement, study of space or time-frequency
distributions, etc. However, in every area where FT and
related concepts are used, there exists the potential for
generalization and implementation by using FRFT.
The Definition of FRFT is

exp i (

[ s ( x1 )] =

exp(+ 2 x

2
1

cot

s(x ) exp(ixx )dx

1

(3)

is the ordinary Fourier transform.

2) When =0, the transform kernel reduces to identity
operation. When approach 0, sin approaches , cot
approaches 1/ and using the fact in the sense of generalized
functions

lim

x2
) = ( x)
i

(4)

so that we have

F 0 [ s ( x1 )] =

( x x )s( x )dx
1

= s ( x1 )

(5)

3When =, the result turns out to be

F 2 [ s ( x1 )] =

( x + x )s( x )dx
1

0 or 2

( x x1 )

F0 = F4 = I

/2

exp(ixx1 )

F1 = F

( x + x1 )

F 2 = FF = I

3 / 2

exp( ixx1 )

F 3 = FF 2 = F 1

Identity
operator
Fourier
operator
Reflection
operator
Inverse
Fourier
operator

= s ( x1 )

( f , t )s(t )dt = S ( f )

(7)

IMAGE ENCRYPTION ALGORITHMS

In the present paper a digital algorithm was developed to

make digital encryption applied to image using the fractional
Fourier transform [10]. The encryption process take the
grayscale image and its placed as the phase of a complex
exponential, then is transformed two times and multiplied in
intermediate steps by two random phase masks statistically
independent, thus to obtain the encrypted image. The
fractional orders applied in the transforms are decimal
numbers between zero and four, generated from a key
alphanumeric of six to ten characters. The encryption
procedure is applied in the inverse sense to the conjugated
complex of the encrypted image, then is taken the negative
of the phase of the resulting image of the decryption process
and the original image is obtained this way that had been
encrypted. In the implemented cryptographic algorithm six
keys are used, constituted by four fractional orders and two
random phase masks, all these keys are necessary for a
correct decryption providing a high leve of security to image
for a given application. Fig.1 shows the general block
diagram
of
the
proposed
method
of
image
encryption/decryption.
Finally for the key space analysis of the proposed scheme,
it considered of fractional orders, two random phase masks
and initial condition of logistic map. The key space of
fractional orders ( 1, 2 and 1, 2 ) is 103; the phase masks

ix1 x
) s ( x1 )dx1
sin

0 or 4

III.

(2)

where =a/2.
Some different cases are discussed in the following:
1) When =/2,
F a[s( x1)] = F1[S ( x)] =

Operation
on signal

The properties of FRFT are useful not only in deriving

the direct and inverse transform of many time-varying
functions but also in obtaining several valuable results in
signal processing. The concept of fractional convolution and
correlation has been developed differently by various authors
[9].

)
4 2 exp(+ i x 2 cot )
2
2 sin

Fractional
operator

and the inverse FRFT can be given as

Kernel

F [ s(t )] =

exp i (

= a / 2

Value of
parameter

)
4 2 exp( i x 2 cot )
F [ s ( x1 )] = S ( x) =
2
2 sin
(1)

ix1 x
i 2
exp( x1 cot
) s ( x1 )dx1
2
sin
a

VARIOUS KERNELS AVAILABLE WITH FRFT

(6)

generate by 10 numbers, the key space is 1010; the key space

of logistic map depend on initial condition is 1013. So the
total key space is 1060, it is big enough to resist brute force
cracking. An example of image encryption/decryption is
drowning in Fig.2-Fig.3.

So, it can be drown that the transform kernel is periodic

with a period 4 form the above several cases. Table 1 gives
the various kernels of FRFT for various a from 0 to 4.
The FRFT kernel can be written as ( f , t ) :

25

Original
Image

FRFT

(a)

Encrypted
Image

Block diagram of the image encryption process

Inverse
Logistic Map

FRFT

( 2 , 2 )

MASK3
(b)

Figure 1.

Logistic
Map

( 2 , 2 )

MASK2

MASK1

Encrypted
Image

FRFT

(1, 1 )

FRFT

(1, 1)

Decrypted
Image

MASK4

Block diagram of the image decryption process

General block diagram of the proposed method of image encryption/decryption

Figure 2. Example of Encrypted Image: original image; real part; imaginary part; the different of real part and imaginary part (from left to right)

26

Figure 3. Example of decrypted image: decrypted image with correct keys; decrypted image with wrong logistic map; decrypted image with wrong FRFT
orders; decrypted image with wrong mask (from left to right)

IV.

CONCLUSION

Using fractional Fourier transform in the digital image

encryption greatly increases safety parameters in the
encrypted image, due to the sensitivity of the key
alphanumeric (fractional orders) used, moreover the two
random phase masks and logistic map are utilized, increase
security much more for any cryptanalyst trying to decrypt the
image without authorization.

[7]

[8]

[9]

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The work presented in this paper was supported by
Maoming Municipal Science & Technology Program
(No.203624) and the PHD startup fund of Maoming
University (No. 208054).

[10]

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