Synchronization of unified chaotic systems and its application to secure communication are discussed. An adaptive control strategy for synchronization of unified chaotic systems in the present of uncertain parameter and external disturbances is presented, which can lead to achieve quickly synchronization between the drive chaotic system and the response chaotic system. After transformation of the useful signal, a secure communication based on chaotic masking is derived, which can guarantee the useful signals recover quickly from the receive system. Simulations show that the synchronization of ...