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Secure image encryption is critical for protecting sensitive data such as satellite imagery, which is pivotal for national security and environmental monitoring. However, existing encryption methods often face challenges such as vulnerability to traffic analysis, limited randomness, and insufficient resistance to attacks. To address these gaps, this article proposes a novel multiple image encryption (MIE) algorithm that integrates hyperchaotic systems, Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), counter mode RC5, a chaos-based Hill cipher, and a custom S-box generated via a modified Blum Blum Shub (BBS) algorithm. The proposed MIE algorithm begins by merging multiple satellite images into an augmented image, enhancing security against traffic analysis. The encryption process splits the colored image into RGB channels, with each channel undergoing four stages: additive confusion using a memristor hyperchaotic key transformed by SVD, RC5 encryption in counter mode with XOR operations, Hill cipher encryption using a 6D hyperchaotic key and invertible matrices mod 256, and substitution with a custom S-box generated by a modified BBS. Experimental results demonstrate the proposed algorithm's superior encryption efficiency, enhanced randomness, and strong resistance to cryptanalytic, differential, and brute-force attacks. These findings highlight the MIE algorithm's potential for securing satellite imagery in real-time applications, ensuring confidentiality and robustness against modern security threats.
Alexan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.