Security of quantum image encryption is ensured by the no-cloning theorem. Most existing high-secure quantum image encryption methods are designed for grayscale images. Thus, this paper proposes a quantum color image encryption method. It combines efficient-storage QRCI (Quantum Representation model of Color digital Images) representation and high-security quantum image encryption. The first-round encryption combines scrambling and diffusion while the second-round encryption adopts diffusion only. Tests results show that the proposed scheme achieves high NPCR and UACI. The encrypted image has much uniform color distribution than the original image.
Security of quantum image encryption is ensured by the no-cloning theorem. Most existing high-secure quantum image encryption methods are designed for grayscale images. Thus, this paper proposes a quantum color image encryption method. It combines efficient-storage QRCI (Quantum Representation model of Color digital Images) representation and high-security quantum image encryption. The first-round encryption combines scrambling and diffusion while the second-round encryption adopts diffusion only. Tests results show that the proposed scheme achieves high NPCR and UACI. The encrypted image has much uniform color distribution than the original image.
Quantum processors enable real-time image processing and provide no-cloning theorem-based security for quantum image encryption. Most classical image encryption methods cannot be directly applied to quantum images due to the implementation complexity of using the quantum circuit, and most existing secure quantum image encryption methods are designed for grayscale images. Thus, we propose a quantum color image encryption method. The proposed method is designed for the existing efficient-storage quantum representation model of color digital image (QRCI) representation. The proposed QRCI-based encryption method benefits from a small number of qubits in total (i.e., 2n+7 qubits), where the QRCI representation uses 2n+6 qubits and two pseudorandom number sequences use only 1 qubit. The improved chaos-based pseudorandom number generator strikes a balance between reduced computation and security level. The two-round exclusive-OR-based diffusion method for quantum encryption significantly improves key sensitivity. Low gate costs are required. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art quantum color image encryption methods in terms of security measures. In addition, the number of qubits of the proposed quantum image encryption method is small (2n+7 qubits).
In the wake of the information security era, ensuring the privacy, accuracy, and reliability of images has become imperative. In this paper, a quantum image encryption method combining quantum Arnold transform and a hyper 5D chaotic system is devised. Furthermore, first, a nonlinear color quantization model (NCQI) is used to convert digital images in standard RGB format into quantum color images. Then, based on the size of the converted quantum color image, the corresponding encryption key is generated using the hyper 5D chaotic system. In the encryption stage, we use the key to encrypt the converted quantum color image. This process entails two principal steps: First, we use quantum Arnold transform to scramble the pixel positions in the image and, subsequently, diffuse the pixel values through a carefully designed cyclic shift strategy to achieve the preliminary encryption of the image. To further strengthen the encryption security, we use a quantum rotation gate to perform quantum rotation transformation on the color channel of each pixel point in the encrypted image separately. These well-designed encryption processes, in succession, significantly enhance the security of the image. This paper provides the corresponding quantum circuit design and validates both the efficacy and security of the quantum image encryption scheme through simulation experimental results.
Abstract In the field of Internet, an image is of great significance to information transmission. Meanwhile, how to ensure and improve its security has become the focus of international research. We combine DNA codec with quantum Arnold transform (QArT) to propose a new double encryption algorithm for quantum color images to improve the security and robustness of image encryption. First, we utilize the biological characteristics of DNA codecs to perform encoding and decoding operations on pixel color information in quantum color images, and achieve pixel-level diffusion. Second, we use QArT to scramble the position information of quantum images and use the operated image as the key matrix for quantum XOR operations. All quantum operations in this paper are reversible, so the decryption operation of the ciphertext image can be realized by the reverse operation of the encryption process. We conduct simulation experiments on encryption and decryption using three color images of “Monkey”, “Flower”, and “House”. The experimental results show that the peak value and correlation of the encrypted images on the histogram have good similarity, and the average normalized pixel change rate (NPCR) of RGB three-channel is 99.61%, the average uniform average change intensity (UACI) is 33.41%, and the average information entropy is about 7.9992. In addition, the robustness of the proposed algorithm is verified by the simulation of noise interference in the actual scenario.
Quantum image encryption (QIE) loads a digital image into qubits and ciphers it with unitary circuits, usually keyed by chaotic maps, quantum walks or quantum random numbers. This review follows the field from an early geometric-transformation scheme (2013) to designs executed on 127-qubit IBM processors (2025). We organise the literature by image representation (FRQI, NEQR, amplitude encoding), confusion and diffusion mechanism, key source and validation level, and we compare recent schemes on entropy, NPCR, UACI, correlation and key space. Reported statistics sit close to their ideals almost everywhere; recent quantum-walk and chaos-based designs report NPCR of 99.6 to 99.97% and UACI of 33.5 to 33.9%, so these metrics no longer separate strong schemes from weak ones. Three gaps stand out. Most evidence comes from classical simulation. The secret usually sits in a classical key generator rather than in the quantum circuit. And loading an image into qubits, then reading it back, remains the main hardware bottleneck. Hybrid designs that distribute keys with BB84 and cipher the image classically offer the most deployable route today. We close with a research agenda: attack-based benchmarks, error-aware hardware validation, cheaper state preparation and explicit security definitions.
In encryption technology, image scrambling is a common processing operation. This paper proposes a quantum version of the 3D Mobius scrambling transform based on the QRCI model, which changes not only the position of pixels but also the gray values. The corresponding quantum circuits are devised. Furthermore, an encryption scheme combining the quantum 3D Mobius transform with the 3D hyper-chaotic Henon map is suggested to protect the security of image information. To facilitate subsequent processing, the RGB color image is first represented with QRCI. Then, to achieve the pixel-level permutation effect, the quantum 3D Mobius transform is applied to scramble bit-planes and pixel positions. Ultimately, to increase the diffusion effect, the scrambled image is XORed with a key image created by the 3D hyper-chaotic Henon map to produce the encrypted image. Numerical simulations and result analyses indicate that our designed encryption scheme is secure and reliable. It offers better performance in the aspect of key space, histogram variance, and correlation coefficient than some of the latest algorithms.
In order to increase the security and robustness of quantum images, this study combined the quantum DNA codec with quantum Hilbert scrambling to offer an enhanced quantum image encryption technique. Initially, to accomplish pixel-level diffusion and create enough key space for the picture, a quantum DNA codec was created to encode and decode the pixel color information of the quantum image using its special biological properties. Second, we used quantum Hilbert scrambling to muddle the image position data in order to double the encryption effect. In order to enhance the encryption effect, the altered picture was then employed as a key matrix in a quantum XOR operation with the original image. The inverse transformation of the encryption procedure may be used to decrypt the picture since all the quantum operations employed in this research are reversible. The two-dimensional optical image encryption technique presented in this study may significantly strengthen the anti-attack of quantum picture, according to experimental simulation and result analysis. The correlation chart demonstrates that the average information entropy of the RGB three channels is more than 7.999, the average NPCR and UACI are respectively 99.61% and 33.42%, and the peak value of the ciphertext picture histogram is uniform. It offers more security and robustness than earlier algorithms and can withstand statistical analysis and differential assaults.