Image Features Hiding by Permutation of Pixels Locations

Abstract

After completing a scientific research project on image encryption using third-order differential equations, we will focus on designing a new algorithm to conceal the features of the image by exchanging pixel positions in a calculated, precise, and reversible mathematical manner. The exchange will occur in five stages, where the first four stages involve flipping the pixels in a way that resembles paper flipping, causing the pixels to interleave, making their features almost 90% disappear. It is quite natural to significantly increase the disappearance ratio of the image features, reaching up to 99%, by increasing the stages of pixel flipping in different and interleaved positions. However, this is not necessary as we will make the fifth stage of pixel position swapping using a chaotic map, which has the great ability to completely obscure the image features to a ratio of 100%. We applied this algorithm to several images, and the results were excellent. It is worth mentioning that, despite completely hiding the image features, this algorithm is not considered an encryption algorithm because a crucial aspect of encryption, namely the encryption key, is not present. However, it serves as a prelude to the encryption process, we have accomplished through our previous research, where the encryption here is more secure from a security perspective. Additionally, we note that it is possible to enhance this algorithm by adding a key, making it a key-based encryption algorithm, thus obtaining a new encryption algorithm