Security analysis of image cryptosystems only or partially based on a chaotic permutation

The paper proposes breaks for the permutation methods adopted in the chaos-based image cryptosystems. By a careful examination on the most chaotic image cryptosystems we can find that the permutation process constitute the main step or, in some cases, the only step to create the confusion. It can be applied on the pixels or on the pixel bits. A recently proposed image encryption scheme based on shuffling the pixel bits inspired from other works is treated as a case study. By applying a chosen plaintext attack, we demonstrate that a hacker can determine the permutation vectors (matrixes) used to permute the pixels bits or the pixels themselves and exploit them to reveal the plain image.

► We propose a total break of cryptosystem having permutation process in their design. ► We made comparison between and previous proposed attacks by other researchers. ► We prove that permutation only ciphers are insecure.