Naveen K. Nishchal

Fully phase encryption using fractional Fourier transform

We implement a fully phase encryption system, using fractional Fourier transform to encrypt and decrypt a 2-D phase image obtained from an amplitude image. The encrypted image is holographically recorded in a barium titanate crystal and is then decrypted by generating through phase conjugation, a conjugate of the encrypted image. The decrypted phase image is converted into an amplitude image by the phase contrast technique using an electrically addressed spatial light modulator. Experimental results in support of the proposed idea are presented.

Roadmap on optical security

Information security and authentication are important challenges facing society. Recent attacks by hackers on the databases of large commercial and financial companies have demonstrated that more research and development of advanced approaches are necessary to deny unauthorized access to critical data. Free space optical technology has been investigated by many researchers in information security, encryption, and authentication. The main motivation for using optics and photonics for information security is that optical waveforms possess many complex degrees of freedom such as amplitude, phase, polarization, large bandwidth, nonlinear transformations, quantum properties of photons, and multiplexing that can be combined in many ways to make information encryption more secure and more difficult to attack. This roadmap article presents an overview of the potential, recent advances, and challenges of optical security and encryption using free space optics. The roadmap on optical security is comprised of six categories that together include 16 short sections written by authors who have made relevant contributions in this field. The first category of this roadmap describes novel encryption approaches, including secure optical sensing which summarizes double random phase encryption applications and flaws [Yamaguchi], the digital holographic encryption in free space optical technique which describes encryption using multidimensional digital holography [Nomura], simultaneous encryption of multiple signals [Perez-Cabre], asymmetric methods based on information truncation [Nishchal], and dynamic encryption of video sequences [Torroba]. Asymmetric and one-way cryptosystems are analyzed by Peng. The second category is on compression for encryption. In their respective contributions, Alfalou and Stern propose similar goals involving compressed data and compressive sensing encryption. The very important area of cryptanalysis is the topic of the third category with two sections: Sheridan reviews phase retrieval algorithms to perform different attacks, whereas Situ discusses nonlinear optical encryption techniques and the development of a rigorous optical information security theory. The fourth category with two contributions reports how encryption could be implemented at the nano- or micro-scale. Naruse discusses the use of nanostructures in security applications and Carnicer proposes encoding information in a tightly focused beam. In the fifth category, encryption based on ghost imaging using single-pixel detectors is also considered. In particular, the authors [Chen, Tajahuerce] emphasize the need for more specialized hardware and image processing algorithms. Finally, in the sixth category, Mosk and Javidi analyze in their corresponding papers how quantum imaging can benefit optical encryption systems. Sources that use few photons make encryption systems much more difficult to attack, providing a secure method for authentication.

Image encryption based on interference that uses fractional Fourier domain asymmetric keys

We propose an image encryption technique based on the interference principle and phase-truncation approach in the fractional Fourier domain. The proposed scheme offers multiple levels of security with asymmetric keys and is free from the silhouette problem. Multiple input images bonded with random phase masks are independently fractional Fourier transformed. Amplitude truncation of obtained spectrum helps generate individual and universal keys while phase truncation generates two phase-only masks analytically. For decryption, these two phase-only masks optically interfere, and this results in the phase-truncated function in the output. After using the correct random phase mask, universal key, individual key, and fractional orders, the original image is retrieved successfully. Computer simulation results with four gray-scale images validate the proposed method. To measure the effectiveness of the proposed method, we calculated the mean square error between the original and the decrypted images. In this scheme, the encryption process and decryption keys formation are complicated and should be realized digitally. For decryption, an optoelectronic scheme has been suggested.

Known-plaintext attack-based optical cryptosystem using phase-truncated Fresnel transform

In this paper, we propose a scheme for information security under the basic double random phase encoding framework but with enhanced complexity and immunity against the known-plaintext attack. Modified Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm is used to convert a primary image into a phase-only mask (POM). The POM is used as a Fresnel domain key for encrypting an arbitrary data, called random intensity mask (RIM) bonded with a random phase mask. With phase- and amplitude-truncation, asymmetric keys are generated from the RIM. For decryption, the main target is to get the POM, for which the concept of known-plaintext attack has been used. The conventional schemes for attack use known-plaintext for key generation, but in this study it refers to the asymmetric keys. Obtaining Fresnel transform with the same parameters of the POM gives the primary image. We present the computer simulation results of multiple gray-scale images without any cross talk and also for a color image. The decryption is simple and straightforward and can be done digitally or optically. An optical setup for decryption has been suggested.

Asymmetric color cryptosystem using polarization selective diffractive optical element and structured phase mask

A single channel asymmetric color image encryption scheme is proposed that uses an amplitude- and phase- truncation approach with interference of polarized wavefronts. Instead of commonly used random phase masks, wavelength-dependent structured phase masks (SPM) are used in the fractional Fourier transform domain for image encoding. The primary color components bonded with different SPMs are combined into one grayscale image using convolution. We then apply the amplitude and phase truncation to the fractional spectrum, which helps generate unique decryption keys. The encrypted image bonded with a different SPM is then encoded into a polarization selective diffractive optical element. The proposed scheme alleviates the alignment problem of interference and does not need iterative encoding and offers multiple levels of security. The effect of a special attack to the proposed asymmetric cryptosystem has been studied. To measure the effectiveness of the proposed method, we calculated the mean square error between the original and the decrypted images. The computer simulation results support the proposed idea.

Fresnel domain nonlinear optical image encryption scheme based on Gerchberg–Saxton phase-retrieval algorithm

We propose a novel nonlinear image-encryption scheme based on a Gerchberg-Saxton (G-S) phase-retrieval algorithm in the Fresnel transform domain. The decryption process can be performed using conventional double random phase encoding (DRPE) architecture. The encryption is realized by applying G-S phase-retrieval algorithm twice, which generates two asymmetric keys from intermediate phases. The asymmetric keys are generated in such a way that decryption is possible optically with a conventional DRPE method. Due to the asymmetric nature of the keys, the proposed encryption process is nonlinear and offers enhanced security. The cryptanalysis has been carried out, which proves the robustness of proposed scheme against known-plaintext, chosen-plaintext, and special attacks. A simple optical setup for decryption has also been suggested. Results of computer simulation support the idea of the proposed cryptosystem.

Image fusion using wavelet transform and its application to asymmetric cryptosystem and hiding

Image fusion is a popular method which provides better quality fused image for interpreting the image data. In this paper, color image fusion using wavelet transform is applied for securing data through asymmetric encryption scheme and image hiding. The components of a color image corresponding to different wavelengths (red, green, and blue) are fused together using discrete wavelet transform for obtaining a better quality retrieved color image. The fused color components are encrypted using amplitude- and phase-truncation approach in Fresnel transform domain. Also, the individual color components are transformed into different cover images in order to result disguising information of input image to an attacker. Asymmetric keys, Fresnel propagation parameters, weighing factor, and three cover images provide enlarged key space and hence enhanced security. Computer simulation results support the idea of the proposed fused color image encryption scheme.

Image encryption using polarized light encoding and amplitude and phase truncation in the Fresnel domain

In this paper, an image encryption scheme based on polarized light encoding and a phase-truncation approach in the Fresnel transform domain is proposed. The phase-truncated data obtained by an asymmetric cryptosystem is encrypted and decrypted by using the concept of the Stokes-Mueller formalism. Image encryption based on polarization of light using Stokes-Mueller formalism has the main advantage over Jones vector formalism that it manipulates only intensity information, which is measurable. Thus any intensity information can be encrypted and decrypted using this scheme. The proposed method offers several advantages: (1) a lens-free setup, (2) flexibility in the encryption key design, (3) use of asymmetric keys, and (4) immunity against special attack. We present numerical simulation results for gray-scale and color images in support of the proposed security scheme. The performance measurement parameters relative error and correlation coefficient have been calculated to check the effectiveness of the scheme.

Fully phase encryption using digital holography

We demonstrate a fully phase encryption system that uses digital holography. The input amplitude image to be encrypted is phase encoded, and either its Fourier or Fresnel transform is obtained. Using interference with a wave from a random phase mask, a Fourier or Fresnel hologram (encrypted data) is recorded digitally. The decryption key is also recorded as a digital hologram, called the key hologram. An electronic key is generated and multiplied with the encrypted hologram. A Fourier transform (encrypted image) is then obtained. The decryption key hologram, the electronic key, and the encrypted image can be transmitted through communication channels. The retrieval is carried out by all-digital means.

An optical encryption and authentication scheme using asymmetric keys

We propose a novel optical information encryption and authentication scheme that uses asymmetric keys generated by the phase-truncation approach and the phase-retrieval algorithm. Multiple images bonded with random phase masks are Fourier transformed, and obtained spectra are amplitude- and phase-truncated. The phase-truncated spectra are encoded into a single random intensity image using the phase-retrieval algorithm. Unlike most of the authentication schemes, in this study, only one encrypted reference image is required for verification of multiple secured images. The conventional double random phase encoding and correlation techniques are employed for authentication verification. Computer simulation results and theoretical explanation prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.