Visually meaningful image encryption combining with reversible data hiding in encrypted images

Abstract At present, most image encryption schemes directly change plaintext images into ciphertext images without visual significance, such ciphertext images can be detected and therefore subject to various attacks. To protect the content security and visual safety of images, a visually meaningful image encryption (VMIE) algorithm combining with Reversible Data Hiding in Encrypted Images (RDHEI) is proposed. First, the secret image is encrypted and additional information is embedded by Chen hyperchaotic system and prediction error expansion (PEE) method. Then the source image is encrypted by a Lorentz hyperchaotic system. Finally, bit-xor operation is performed on the resulting encrypted image and the result is saved in a cloud database to generate an indexing key using SHA-256,which enables the receiver to recover the secret image with the resource image and the key alone. The scheme combines with the RDHEI, improving the transmission efficiency and has no image quality problems.The experimental results and security analysis show that the image encryption scheme has sufficient key space, strong key sensitivity and wide applicability.