Open Access

ARTICLE

Improved Resilience of Image Encryption Based on Hybrid TEA and RSA Techniques

Muath AlShaikh^1,*, Ahmed Manea Alkhalifah², Sultan Alamri³

1 Cyber Security Department, College of Engineering, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, 112612, United Arab Emirates
2 Cyber Security Department, Saudi Aramco Dhahran, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia
3 College of Computing and Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh, 11673, Saudi Arabia

* Corresponding Author: Muath AlShaikh. Email:

Computer Systems Science and Engineering 2025, 49, 353-376. https://doi.org/10.32604/csse.2025.062433

Received 18 December 2024; Accepted 19 February 2025; Issue published 21 March 2025

Abstract

Data security is crucial for improving the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of the image content. Maintaining these security factors poses significant challenges, particularly in healthcare, business, and social media sectors, where information security and personal privacy are paramount. The cryptography concept introduces a solution to these challenges. This paper proposes an innovative hybrid image encryption algorithm capable of encrypting several types of images. The technique merges the Tiny Encryption Algorithm (TEA) and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithms called (TEA-RSA). The performance of this algorithm is promising in terms of cost and complexity, an encryption time which is below 10ms was recorded. It is implied by correlation coefficient analysis that after encryption there is a notable decrease in pixel correlation, therefore making it effective at disguising pixel relationships via obfuscation. Moreover, our technique achieved the highest Normalized Pixel Cross-Correlation (NPCC), Number of Pixel Change Rate (NPCR) value over 99% consistent, and a Unified Average Changing Intensity (UACI) value which stands at around 33.86 thereby making it insensitive to statistical attacks hence leading to massive alteration of pixel values and intensities. These make clear the resistance of this process to any sort of hacking attempt whatsoever that might want unauthorized access into its domain. It is important to note that the integrity of images is well preserved throughout encryption as well as decryption stages in line with these low decryption times are clear indications. These results collectively indicate that the algorithm is effective in ensuring secure and efficient image encryption while maintaining the overall integrity and quality of the encrypted images. The proposed hybrid approach has been investigated against cryptoanalysis such as Cyphertext-only attacks, Known-plaintext attacks, Chosen-plaintext attacks, and Chosen-ciphertext attacks. Moreover, the proposed approach explains a good achievement against cropping and differential attacks.

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Keywords

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