Although quantum computing is still in its nascent age, its evolution threatens the most popular public-key encryption systems. Such systems are essential for today's Internet security due to their ability for solving the key distribution problem and for providing high security in insecure communications channels that allow for accessing websites or for exchanging e-mails, financial transactions, digitally signed documents, military communications or medical data. Cryptosystems like Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA), elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) or Diffie-Hellman have spread worldwide and are part of diverse key Internet standards like Transport Layer Security (TLS), which are used both by traditional computers and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It is especially difficult to provide high security to IoT devices, mainly because many of them rely on batteries and are resource constrained in terms of computational power and memory, which implies that specific energy-efficient and lightweight algorithms need to be designed and implemented for them. These restrictions become relevant challenges when implementing cryptosystems that involve intensive mathematical operations and demand substantial computational resources, which are often required in applications where data privacy has to be preserved for the long term, like IoT applications for defense, mission-critical scenarios or smart healthcare. Quantum computing threatens such a long-term IoT device security and researchers are currently developing solutions to mitigate such a threat. This article provides a survey on what can be called post-quantum IoT systems (IoT systems protected from the currently known quantum computing attacks): the main post-quantum cryptosystems and initiatives are reviewed, the most relevant IoT architectures and challenges are analyzed, and the expected future trends are indicated. Thus, this article is aimed at providing a wide view of post-quantum IoT security and give useful guidelines to the future post-quantum IoT developers.
Although quantum computing is still in its nascent age, its evolution threatens the most popular public-key encryption systems. Such systems are essential for today's Internet security due to their ability for solving the key distribution problem and for providing high security in insecure communications channels that allow for accessing websites or for exchanging e-mails, financial transactions, digitally signed documents, military communications or medical data. Cryptosystems like Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA), elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) or Diffie-Hellman have spread worldwide and are part of diverse key Internet standards like Transport Layer Security (TLS), which are used both by traditional computers and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It is especially difficult to provide high security to IoT devices, mainly because many of them rely on batteries and are resource constrained in terms of computational power and memory, which implies that specific energy-efficient and lightweight algorithms need to be designed and implemented for them. These restrictions become relevant challenges when implementing cryptosystems that involve intensive mathematical operations and demand substantial computational resources, which are often required in applications where data privacy has to be preserved for the long term, like IoT applications for defense, mission-critical scenarios or smart healthcare. Quantum computing threatens such a long-term IoT device security and researchers are currently developing solutions to mitigate such a threat. This article provides a survey on what can be called post-quantum IoT systems (IoT systems protected from the currently known quantum computing attacks): the main post-quantum cryptosystems and initiatives are reviewed, the most relevant IoT architectures and challenges are analyzed, and the expected future trends are indicated. Thus, this article is aimed at providing a wide view of post-quantum IoT security and give useful guidelines to the future post-quantum IoT developers.
The growth of quantum computing reveals a series of significant threats to cryptographic systems known today, such as RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman, which are extremely important for Internet security, but are threatened by the increase in possible quantum attacks. The area of public and private key cryptography is vast. Therefore, this article addresses post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms and the challenges of implementing them in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, given the difficulty of application due to restricted resources, such as RAM and clock speed . To this end, we will discuss the need for standardization of algorithms considering low-resource IoT devices, prioritizing RAM over ROM, meeting the needs of low-memory devices, which are lighter. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has validated four cryptographic systems that are secure against quantum attacks. We analyze the implications of these systems on the infrastructure of current networks and will compare in detail these algorithms and their respective strengths, weaknesses, and trade-offs. We evaluate the feasibility of post-quantum encryption (PQC) algorithms in resource-constrained IoT devices using the ESP-WROOM-32 microcontroller. Three cryptographic schemes were implemented and compared.
The existence of quantum computers and Shor's algorithm poses an imminent threat to classical public-key cryptosystems. These cryptosystems are currently used for the exchange of keys between servers and clients over the Internet. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next step in the evolution of the Internet, and it involves the connection of millions of low-powered and resource-constrained devices to the network. Because quantum computers are becoming more capable, the creation of a new cryptographic standard that cannot be compromised by them is indispensable. There are several current proposals of quantum-resistant or post-quantum algorithms that are being considered for future standards. Given that the IoT is increasing in popularity, and given its resource-constrained nature, it is worth adapting those new standards to IoT devices. In this work, we study some post-quantum cryptosystems that could be suitable for IoT devices, adapting them to work with current cryptography and communication software, and conduct a performance measurement on them, obtaining guidelines for selecting the best for different applications in resource-constrained hardware. Our results show that many of these algorithms can be efficiently executed in current IoT hardware, providing adequate protection from the attacks that quantum computers will eventually be capable of.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has grown rapidly, transforming various aspects of daily life into intelligent systems capable of collecting and exchanging data in real time. At the same time, advances in quantum computing have given rise to powerful quantum computers capable of processing complex tasks at unprecedented speed. This disparity between the limited resources of IoT devices and the capabilities of quantum computers poses significant security challenges. Quantum computers introduce new vulnerabilities that threaten IoT systems, particularly in critical applications such as connected healthcare, industrial networks, smart infrastructure, and secure embedded systems. This study reviews the existing literature on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) applied to IoT devices. It analyzes the characteristics and security requirements of IoT environments, current security technologies, and unresolved issues. It highlights the growing threat of post-quantum attacks and the need to adapt security strategies. Finally, the study explores post-quantum code-based cryptosystems as solutions to enhance the security of resource-constrained IoT applications and ensure their resilience against future challenges.
The proliferation of 5th generation (5G) technology has catalyzed significant advancements in various application of Internet of Things(IoT) such as Intelligent Transportation Systems, Smart Energy, Industrial IoT (IIoT), Digital Twins, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Smart Health. However, with the upcoming advent of quantum computing, conventional security methods are encountering new and significant challenges, requiring the revaluation of pre and post-quantum security measures. This study provides an in-depth analysis of security measures before and after the advent of quantum computing for intelligent IoT applications enabled by 5G-connected network. The survey thoroughly analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of conventional public key cryptography methods such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman, Secret Sharing, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), which are susceptible to quantum risks, and postquantum cryptographic methods such as lattice-based cryptography, code-based cryptography, and multivariate based techniques, which may provide protection against quantum attacks. Furthermore, we evaluate the suitability of these strategies in the context of 5G-enabled IoT deployments, taking into account the distinct requirements and obstacles presented by interconnected IoT devices. Although pre quantum public key cryptographic algorithms are still in use, but active research is going on to design and implement PQC algorithms to secure 5G IoT, while hybrid schemes have shown great promise being backward compatible with traditional cryptographic approaches at the same time bring quantum resistance. The survey offers significant insights into the latest pre and post-quantum security solutions for 5G-enabled IoT Applications. It helps in making educated decisions and implementing strong security measures in preparation for the quantum computing age.
The imminent arrival of quantum computing presents unprecedented challenges to Internet of Things (IoT) security, threatening to compromise the cryptographic protocols that safeguard billions of connected devices worldwide. This article examines the critical intersection of quantum computing capabilities and IoT vulnerabilities, with particular emphasis on resource-constrained devices, heterogeneous networks, and legacy system integration. This article presents a comprehensive framework for implementing quantum-resistant security measures in IoT environments, introducing a hybrid approach that combines lightweight quantum-resistant algorithms with modular architecture design. This article demonstrates traditional encryption methods like RSA and ECC remain vulnerable to quantum attacks; strategic implementation of lattice-based and hash-based cryptography can provide robust protection without overwhelming device resources. This article also addresses practical considerations for industry adoption, including development lifecycle integration, governance frameworks, and compliance requirements. Through examination of real-world implementation scenarios, this article establishes a successful quantum-resistant IoT security required for a balanced approach between immediate protective measures and long-term strategic planning, providing organizations with actionable guidelines for securing their IoT infrastructure against quantum threats.
Cryptographic algorithms are crucial for secure communication in the Internet of Things (IoT). Quantum computers threaten public key cryptography algorithms like RSA (Rivest, Shamir, Adleman) and Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange schemes, which are widely in use today. As cryptographic algorithms are the foundation of secure internet communication, the development of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is essential to protect transactions over the internet. However, solutions like Quantum Key Distribution require heavy infrastructure. So, it is not feasible for the Internet of Things with fewer resources in computing power and form factor. Post-Quantum Cryptography is helpful on these devices. But, it needs further developments and improvements. This paper analyzes cryptography algorithms and protocols of IoT with different categories. Integrated PQC of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) third level finalists on Raspberry Pi 4 (RPI4) board with Linux operating system. The performance of Post-Quantum Cryptography schemes for IoT has been evaluated. Finally, a Post-Quantum Cryptography scheme has been suggested for the Internet of Things based on the performance analysis.