Scientific Reports (Jul 2021)

Multilevel information fusion for cryptographic substitution box construction based on inevitable random noise in medical imaging

  • Muhammad Fahad Khan,
  • Khalid Saleem,
  • Mohammed Ali Alshara,
  • Shariq Bashir

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93344-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 23

Abstract

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Abstract Block cipher has been a standout amongst the most reliable option by which data security is accomplished. Block cipher strength against various attacks relies on substitution boxes. In literature, extensively algebraic structures, and chaotic systems-based techniques are available to design the cryptographic substitution boxes. Although, algebraic and chaotic systems-based approaches have favorable characteristics for the design of substitution boxes, but on the other side researchers have also pointed weaknesses in these approaches. First-time multilevel information fusion is introduced to construct the substitution boxes, having four layers; Multi Sources, Multi Features, Nonlinear Multi Features Whitening and Substitution Boxes Construction. Our proposed design does not hold the weakness of algebraic structures and chaotic systems because our novel s-box construction relies on the strength of true random numbers. In our proposed method true random numbers are generated from the inevitable random noise of medical imaging. The proposed design passes all the substitution box security evaluation criteria including Nonlinearity, Bit Independence Criterion (BIC), Strict Avalanche Criterion (SAC), Differential Approximation Probability (DP), Linear Approximation Probability (LP), and statistical tests, including resistance to Differential Attack, Correlation Analysis, 2D, 3D histogram analysis. The outcomes of the evaluation criteria validate that the proposed substitution boxes are effective for block ciphers; furthermore, the proposed substitution boxes attain better cryptographic strength as compared to very recent state-of-the-art techniques.