Chaos theory and its application: an essential framework for image encryption

With the advancement in digital technologies and the demand for secure communication, there is an increased interest in the design and implementation of reliable image encryption schemes. This paper presents a thorough review of chaos theory and its application in image encryption schemes. Due to ergodicity and initial key sensitivity, chaos-based image encryption schemes have several advantages over traditional encryption schemes. The paper discusses the major applications of chaos theory, particularly in mage encryption area. The use of different chaotic maps such as one and multi-dimensional chaos, hyper and composite chaos in image encryption have been presented. The paper also discusses current trends and future research directions in the field of chaotic image encryption. This work provides a foundation for future research work along with providing basic understanding to new researchers. Several recommendations have been suggested that can improve a chaos-based cryptosystem.