Abstract
Hundreds of image encryption algorithms have been developed for the security and integrity of images through the combination of DNA computing and chaotic maps. This combination of the two instruments is not sufficient enough to thwart the potential threats from the cryptanalysis community as the literature review suggests. To inject more robustness and security stuff, a novel image encryption scheme has been written in this research by fusing the chaotic system, DNA computing and Castle-a chess piece. As the plain image is input, its pixels are shifted to the scrambled image at the randomly chosen pixel addresses. This scrambling has been realized through the routine called Image Scrambler using Castle (ISUC). Castle randomly moves on the hypothetical large chessboard. Pixels taken from the plain image are shifted to the addresses of the scrambled image, where Castle lands in each iteration. After the plain image is scrambled, it is DNA encoded. Two mask images are also DNA encoded. Then to throw the diffusion effects in the cipher, DNA Addition and DNA XOR operations between the DNA encoded pixels data and the DNA encoded mask images have been conducted. Next, the pixels data are converted back into their decimal equivalents. Four dimensional chaotic system has been used to get the chaotic vectors. The hash codes given by the SHA-256 function have been used in the cipher to introduce the plaintext sensitivity in its design. We got an information entropy of 7.9974. Simulation carried out through the machine, and the thorough security analyses demonstrate the good security effects, defiance to the varied attacks from the cryptanalysis community, and the bright prospects for some real world application of the proposed image cipher.