A symmetric image encryption scheme based on combination of nonlinear chaotic maps

During the recent years several chaotic image encryption algorithms have been proposed, but most of them encountered some drawbacks such as small key space, low speed, lack of robustness and low security. In this paper, we have proposed an image algorithm based on the combination of a one-dimensional polynomial chaotic map and a piecewise nonlinear chaotic map. Theoretical analysis and computer simulations, both confirm that the new algorithm possesses high security, robust fast encryption speed for practical image encryption and solves the problem of small key space.