Image cryptosystems based on blind source separation

One major difference between the image data and the text data is that the image data permit small distortion owing to the characteristics of human perception, but the text data rarely do. This paper applies blind source separation (BSS) to forming a new efficient cryptosystem for images. The confidential images to be transmitted are covered with the mask images by specifically mixing them. This process is called the "mixed masking" encryption based on BSS. On the receiving side, the original images are well recovered through "BSS" controlled by the separation-keys, which is called the "BSS" decryption. The proposed method has high security performance and flexible feature. The results of experiments illustrate the validity of the proposed method.