Quantum scrambling and DNA based multilayer image encryption with QTRNG and 6D hyperchaotic keys

Abstract

Secure data communication is in growing demand in today’s 6G era. Cryptographic schemes must be employed to protect the data over the air and facilitate secure communication. This paper proposes a novel quantum image encryption algorithm with Quantum True Random Number Generation (QTRNG) and an image-dependent 6D hyperchaotic system to enhance security. RX and RZ quantum gates generated Quantum True Random key sequences by introducing an exponential phase shift to the input. The encryption process integrates multistage DNA encoding and QTRNG to develop the initial encrypted image, which is represented by Novel Enhanced Quantum Representation (NEQR). The encrypted image is hashed using SHA-384 to generate 6D keys, followed by Quantum Fibonacci and bit-level scrambling to perform further quantum encryption. This process is repeated over three stages, each employing different hyperchaotic keys, DNA rules, and operations. The encryption metrics confirm the algorithm’s reliability and robustness regarding security.