The volume of multimedia-based image data or video frames in Web 3.0 is constantly increasing, owing to the advancement of real-time data transmission. However, security vulnerabilities frequently impair the performance of real-time applications. Many researchers have recently proposed image encryption schemes based on a high-dimensional chaotic system due to properties such as ergodicity and initial state sensitivity. Nonetheless, most schemes have suffered from excessive computational complexity, low security, and the generation of cryptographically secure random numbers. To overcome these challenges, an efficient and highly secure cryptosystem is necessary for safe multimedia transmission in Web 3.0. This article proposes a novel work on the image cryptosystem based on the Escalation function with a one-time key-oriented Moore’s Automaton over a finite field 𝔽 2 . The Escalation function is a nonlinear scrambling technique for plaintext images that goes through the confusion phase and plays an essential role in row-column permutation. To make the algorithm more secure and robust in the diffusion phase, the proposed Moore’s Automaton produced ciphertext images through a highly random key stream generated by the combination of a logistic map and cyclic group. Specifically, the proposed Moore’s Automaton operates on δ ( q k )/𝔽 2 to render random binary bits into unpredictable sequences to construct ciphertext images. Our new finding quickens the speed and provides adequate key space, and pixel distributions are more uniform, have high entropy value, and are secure against differential and statistical attacks.