Design and analysis of image encryption based on memristor chaotic systems with hidden attractors

Abstract

Abstract Chaotic systems with hidden attractors are important research hotspots in nonlinear science. In recent years, continuous chaotic systems with special equilibrium points have been widely studied, especially continuous chaotic systems without equilibrium points. A four-dimensional chaotic system devoid of equilibrium point is proposed by using a composite cosine piecewise-linear (COS-PWL)function and a memristor model based on the modified Sprott-C system. The dynamical behaviors of the new system are studied through numerical analysis methods. The results reveal it is extremely sensitive to control parameters as well as initial conditions, which make it particularly suitable for application to image encryption algorithms. In light of these findings, a novel image encryption algorithm is introduced. This algorithm integrates the new four-dimensional chaotic system with ribonucleic acid (RNA) coding technology. Furthermore, the simulation results and security analyses validate the rationality of the encryption mechanism and the robustness of the encryption security of the proposed image encryption algorithm.