Utilizing Ant Colony Optimization to Construct an S-Box Based on the 2D Logistic-Sine Coupled Map

ACO is a combinatorial optimization method that draws inspiration from food searching, pheromone trails, and heuristic information employed by ants. The Substitution Box (S-Box) holds significant importance within symmetric key cryptography algorithms, notably in block ciphers. A secure S-Box requires high non-linearity, resistance to algebraic attacks, and diffusion of input changes to output changes. This study investigates the utilization of ACO for constructing an S-Box, employing the 2D Logistic-Sine Coupled Map (2D-LSCM) as the underlying framework. More precisely, a version of ACO for continuous optimization is used for optimizing the parameters of 2DLSCM. This chaotic map is used for an effective shuffling of an S-Box component and in the permutation of an image encryption. The analyses of results and security provide evidence that S-Box exhibits a high level of security suitable for an image encryption scheme.