Abstract The purpose of this research is to develop a new method for encrypting multiple superimposed or side-by-side images. The process begins by extracting the red, green, and blue channels from each image and converting them into vectors that combine to produce a single image that undergoes an advanced pixel-level Vigenere transform. In the next step, a pseudorandom transition occurs at the nucleotide, followed by a passage to codons for genetic crossover implementation specifically designed for image scrambling. The latter process is controlled by many random tables developed from selected chaotic maps, which ensures a high degree of flexibility and security in the encryption method. To evaluate the effectiveness and security of this innovative multi-image encryption algorithm, extensive simulations were performed using a large number of images randomly selected from the database. The simulation results prove the reliability and robustness of the method.