A Novel Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Multiple Random DNA Coding and Annealing
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The article deals with a very interesting topic regarding ‘A Stable Image Encryption Algorithm Based on Multiple Random DNA Coding and Annealing’. Overall, it is a comprehensive article and the findings provided indicate that a great deal of effort was put in. Suggestions for improvements that could be performed to the manuscript prior to its publication are the following:
- What is the exact meaning of annealing for this article, as described in the title? Elaborate more on this (the first time the reader finds this term in the text). The term ‘simulated annealing’ is explained later (through the lines 147-159), however a general definition/explanation should be added somewhere earlier in the article.
- It is suggested to avoid using numerical results in the abstract. Try to keep this part simple yet informative and focus on the research questions that the authors try to answer through the paper, as well as the findings in general.
- DNA coding, chaotic system: It would be useful to describe those terms in more detail.
- line 77: ‘SHA-512’ more details should be added.
- line 80: annealing process: It is suggested to add some relevant references in order to describe that type of process in more detail.
- line 85: contribute to.
- line 130: ‘XNOR, and XOR operations’ more details should be added.
- lines 147 and 184: The subtitles are exactly the same ‘Annealing process for encryption(APE)’. The authors should make necessary changes according to the content of each sub-chapter.
- line 231: typo
- line 243: the images mentioned should be presented (are some of them the same with those presented in fig. 6?)
- make sure to keep the same format when referring to figures, etc. through the manuscript (see lines 246 and 253 for example).
- line 276: ‘(f)Encryption results of (e). (f) Decryption using….’ Typo. In addition, it would be useful to explain a bit further in the text image (d): Deference between (b) and (c).
- line 293: ‘This formula (8)…’ What is the reference of this formula?
- line 310: What is the reference of formula (9)?
- line 314: ‘Compared with the compared papers, the proposed method reduces…’ It is suggested to rewrite this sentence.
- lines 327-328: It is suggested to rewrite this sentence. As it is presented in Table 6, some values derived from the proposed methods of other papers are the same as the ones derived from the method proposed by the authors. In addition, a comment about the difference in several images and how this factor (image content) affects the results would be useful. How much should the values differ in order to consider one method better than the other? Elaborate more on this.
- line 335: What is the reference of formula (11)?
- line 347: ‘Cropping attack’ Are there any other relevant results (derived from other past papers) available for comparison? The same goes for noise attack (line 358). In addition, could the image content affect the results that are presented? (eg. if this process was applied to Airplane, Cameraman, Pepper, Baboon, etc. images). Elaborate more on this.
- Conclusions: It would be very interesting to add a comment about the difference in the results (if any) regarding colorful and black & white images.
- line 383: It is suggested to elaborate more. A comment for example about the effect that the size of an image may have would be useful.
In general, it would be interesting to also comment on the following: What could be some possible restrictions or challenges if the proposed methods would be implemented in different images (in terms of size, colour, content, etc.). Are there any other factors that should be taken into account? In what ways your work could be used as a step stone for similar future research studies?
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear Authors,
Please, explain in details the role of chaotic system. You mentioned chaotic system without highlighting the properties of the considered system, which make the algorithm you proposed unclear.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Needs to be improved
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Now, I can see the role of chaotic system
