Abstract
The protection of digital content is increasingly becoming a significant issue for researchers and engineers. In this context, nonlinear dynamic systems play a vital role in information security through their chaotic behavior and susceptibility to initial conditions. This research presents a 3D chaotic map-based symmetric algorithm for multiple images to improve encryption efficiency and encourage secure transmission. The proposed scheme comprises the following four modules: the combination (the images are combined into a single image by merging their color channels); the permutation (using the suggested 3D chaotic map); the S-box generation; and the substitution through the AES substitution method. The proposed algorithm's encryption strength was determined through Entropy, Correlation coefficient, NPCR, and UACI analyses, which were then compared to the past techniques. Furthermore, the proposed method is assessed in terms of its computation time. Results demonstrate that it is highly efficient and secure for real-time communication.