An encryption scheme for JPEG2000 codestream based on packets header information and data encryption for confidentential medical images transmission

In this paper, a novel selective encryption scheme for JPEG2000 codestream is proposed. Many of proposals format compliant encryption schemes for JPEG2000 that have been made encrypt packet body data, but leave header packet in plaintext. Our proposed scheme encrypts code-blocks data corresponding to some sensitive precincts. This encryption is combined to a cyclic permutation of all packets headers in the bitstream. Actually, in the JPEG2000 codestream, packet header information is specific to the visual content, and it is can be used as a fingerprint of the codestream. The proposed process doesn’t introduce superfluous JPEG2000 markers in the protected codestream, i.e, the protected codestream format is compliant to JPEG2000 codestream one. It keeps file format and compression ratio unchanged and doesn’t degrade the original error robustness. The proposed scheme works with any standard ciphers and introduces negligible computational cost. Key-Words: Communication system security, Computer applications, Image coding, Biomedical imaging, Cryptography.