Post-Quantum Digital Signatures over Finite Fields with Hidden Generators
Tuan Nguyen Kim, Luu Hong Dung, Hoang Duc Tho +1 more
The advent of quantum computers poses a direct threat to the security of traditional digital signature schemes, which are based on the Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) cryptosystems. Shor's algorithm allows solving the Discrete Logarithm Problem (DLP) in polynomial time, whereas Grover's algorithm significantly reduces the effort required for brute-force attacks on symmetric hash functions and ciphers. Although many post-quantum solutions have been proposed, such as lattice-based schemes (e.g., CRYSTALS-Dilithium, Falcon) or hash-based schemes (e.g., SPHINCS+), they still have some limitations to overcome, such as large public keys, bulky signatures, high computational costs, and difficulties in integrating into existing Public Key Infrastructures (PKIs). In this paper, we propose a new type of hard problem, defined over a finite prime field, in which the generator is kept secret to prevent any direct Shor attack and is only subject to a limited influence from Grover. Based on this newly proposed hard problem, we construct a post-quantum digital signature scheme that is both Shor-resistant and Grover-resistant, secure against classical attacks, and fully compatible with current PKI infrastructures. Compared with existing post-quantum digital signature schemes, our solution significantly optimizes the size of public keys and signatures while increasing the speed of signing and verification. The newly proposed hard problem cannot be solved by known classical or quantum algorithms, thus ensuring long-term security. Performance evaluation results show that the scheme provides an optimal balance between performance and security, opening up a cost-effective implementation path for the post-quantum cryptography era.
Engineering Technology & Applied Science Research•Dec 8, 2025•0 citations