J. ICT Res. Appl., Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022, 243-258 243 Received July 29 th , 2022, Revised September 13 th , 2022 Accepted for publication October 13 th , 2022. Copyright © 2022 Published by IRCS-ITB, ISSN: 2337-5787, DOI: 10.5614/itbj.ict.res.appl.2022.16.3.4 A Low Computational Cost RGB Color Image Encryption Scheme Process based on PWLCM Confusion, ℤ/ℤ Diffusion and ECBC Avalanche Effect Faiq Gmira 1,2 , Wafae Sabbar 3 & Said Hraoui 4 1 Innovative Technologies Laboratory (LTI), Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Route Imouzzer, PO Box 262, 30000 Fez, Morocco. 2 Computer Science & Smart Systems (C3S), Hassan II University of Casablanca, Rue Tarik Bnou Ziad, Mers Sultan, PO Box 9167, 20006 Casablanca , Morocco 3 Intelligence Machine Laboratory (LIM), Faculty of Sciences and Technic, University Hassan II, Mohammedia, Morocco 4 Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and Emerging Emerging Systems Laboratory (LIASSE), University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah , Route Imouzzer, PO Box 262, 30000, Fez, Morocco *E-mail: faiq.gmira@usmba.ac.ma Abstract. In this work, three sub-processes are serially integrated into just one process in order to construct a robust new image encryption scheme for all types of images, especially color images. This integration architecture aims to create a robust avalanche effect property while respecting the constraints of confusion and diffusion that have been identified by Claude Shannon as properties required of a secure encryption scheme. The performance of the proposed encryption scheme is measured and discussed with several analyses, including computational cost analysis, key space analysis, randomness metrics analysis , histogram analysis, adjacent pixel correlation and entropy analysis. The experimental results demonstrated and validated the performance and robustness of the proposed scheme. Keywords: avalanche effect; chaos enhancement; cipher block chaining enhancement; color image encryption; confusion; diffusion; ring-homomorphic operation. 1 Introduction Data security is an important aspect in various communication fields, for instance multimedia frameworks, medical imaging, and military communications. However, the data exchange process in a physical channel or in a software implementation; remains vulnerable if this data or this exchange is not properly protected [1]. Various forms of data, such as text, images, sound, or video, can be exchanged. However, the exchange of image data has special requirements given the intrinsic characteristics of images, such as the intra-correlations of their structures and the large memory space they require [2].