An extendable key space integer image-cipher using 4-bit piece-wise linear cat map

Abstract This paper presents a multiplierless image-cipher, with extendable 2048-bit key-space, based on 4-dimensional (4D) quantized piece-wise linear cat map (PWLCM). The PWLCM exhibits limit-cycles of 4-bit encoded integers periods greater than 10 7 . synthesis the in finite state space allows to eliminate undesirable precision effect due hardware realization. proposed image-cipher combines chaos, modular arithmetic, and lattice-based cryptography encrypt color image by performing pixel permutation diffusion single operation. Further, an image-dependent confusion operation 8-bit 2D-PWLCM is performed whole enhance security. In order increase key-space without key duplication, 16 × sub-images are modified using sub-keys different lattice length vectors generated from external key. Both simulations security analyses confirm that algorithm can resist common cipher attacks, addition its advantages such as simplicity, ease implementation low-end processors extensibility it easily adapt even for future post-quantum computing attacks.