A DNA-based chaos algorithm for an efficient image encryption application

Nowadays, one of the important interests in the design of algorithms is their use in applications requiring real time processing. In that regard, this paper aims to present the design of an image cryptosystem based on the combination of chaotic and DNA sequences, and demonstrates its capacities and implementation through the development of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) realized under the Qt environment. To fulfill the image security and real-time requirements of today’s world, the proposed cryptosystem is symmetrical and relies on a secret key resulting from the combination of the remarkable properties of the chaos generators, with the merits of the storage space of the DNA sequences, to encrypt an image. The developed software is a didactic tool that allows the user to configure the parameters that determine the generation of the secret key, and also to encrypt and decrypt a chosen image and observe the associated statistical data. The experimental results obtained through the developed software testify first, of the simplicity of implementation of the proposed DNA-based chaos encryption scheme in real applications. It also enables the user to appreciate the performances of the algorithm in comparison to other existing algorithms in the dedicated literature, through clear and simple statistical illustrations that display a real prospect for a real-time secured image transfer over the Internet.