The invention belongs to an image processing technology and particularly relates to a multi-scroll chaotic system-based image encryption method. According to the method, three sections of chaotic sequences are generated through a scroll system; in an image pixel position transformation process, row transformation and column transformation are performed by using the first chaotic sequence and the second chaotic sequence respectively; and in an image pixel value substitution process, positive substitution and negative substitution are performed by using the second chaotic sequence and the third chaotic sequence respectively, so that the complexity of an encryption algorithm is effectively increased and the system security is ensured.