A method and an apparatus for error resilient, digital image scrambling are disclosed. Error resilience scrambling is produced by shuffling transform coefficients between arrays of coefficients arranged along an axis substantially orthogonal to the axis along which packetization of the coefficients proceeds. Scrambling transform coefficients requires a reasonable level of processing resources and has minimal impact on the efficiency of the compression process. Shuffling can be performed in a number of ways to provide good access security and a variety of security. Scrambling the image data in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of packetization of the transform coefficients distributes any transmission error in the image reducing the effects of data error or loss on the displayed image.