In resource-constrained devices such as Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), the possibility of using authentication and key exchange methods, which include the mutual verification of two parties to ensure the security of communication, provides a significant advantage. As the cost efficient computations may not be efficiently performed on resource-constrained devices, security is the main problem for SIMs. With the advancing technology and the use of quantum computers, it is predicted that this may lead to threats. It is a well-known fact that security on traditional public key cryptosystems will become vulnerable by using quantum computers due to Shor’s algorithm. In this paper, two different resistant to quantum attacks structures are proposed to ensure secure communication between SIM and service providers. In the proposed methods, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) is used for communication with resource-constrained devices, and N-th degree Truncated polynomial Ring Units (NTRU) encryption system is used for communication with servers. Two methods are proposed, one with the private key and one without the private key in the production phase. This protocol provides authentication, data privacy and integrity for post-quantum SIM cards. The proposed method is inspired by the FLAT (Federated Lightweight Authentication) protocol. However, the main difference from the FLAT protocol is that it has more nodes and is resistant to quantum attacks.
In resource-constrained devices such as Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), the possibility of using authentication and key exchange methods, which include the mutual verification of two parties to ensure the security of communication, provides a significant advantage. As the cost efficient computations may not be efficiently performed on resource-constrained devices, security is the main problem for SIMs. With the advancing technology and the use of quantum computers, it is predicted that this may lead to threats. It is a well-known fact that security on traditional public key cryptosystems will become vulnerable by using quantum computers due to Shor’s algorithm. In this paper, two different resistant to quantum attacks structures are proposed to ensure secure communication between SIM and service providers. In the proposed methods, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256) is used for communication with resource-constrained devices, and N-th degree Truncated polynomial Ring Units (NTRU) encryption system is used for communication with servers. Two methods are proposed, one with the private key and one without the private key in the production phase. This protocol provides authentication, data privacy and integrity for post-quantum SIM cards. The proposed method is inspired by the FLAT (Federated Lightweight Authentication) protocol. However, the main difference from the FLAT protocol is that it has more nodes and is resistant to quantum attacks.
It is believed that traditional asymmetric cryptosystems are compromised and symmetric cryptography can be used in the post-quantum world. In this paper, a new model based on post-quantum a set of FLAT (PQ-FLAT) protocol is proposed to ensure security in the machine to machine communication with post-quantum cryptography and it is inspired by the federated lightweight authentication of things (FLAT) protocol, which works effectively for resource-constrained devices in machine to machine (M2M) communication systems. The proposed model includes resource-constrained devices, certificate provider (CP), and service provider (SP). Communication of the certificate provider between resource-constrained devices is encrypted with AES. Instead of the asymmetric cryptography system between the certificate provider and the service provider, a lattice-based encryption mechanism, secure in the post-quantum world, is used. Thus, the FLAT protocol for resource-constrained devices is made resistant to post-quantum changes.
As the world rapidly embraces quantum technologies, the need for robust quantum security protocols becomes increasingly paramount. Quantum key distribution (QKD) has been at the forefront of secure key exchange, but establishing a root of trust remains unaddressed. This research article presents a pioneering approach for global system for mobile communications (GSM) that bridges the gap between QKD and device identity verification. Our approach utilizes single-qubit states and amplitude encoding, integrating the BB84 protocol to securely share secret keys between entities. We implement two-factor authentication (2FA) to further protect against attacks and unauthorized access. Unlike entangled state-based schemes that require quantum memory and face practical implementation challenges, our single-qubit approach avoids these issues, making it feasible with current technology. Central to our approach is the verification of the subscriber identity module (SIM) card holder’s authenticity using the quantum prover authentication protocol (QuPAP) at the mobile authentication Center. This quantum cryptography-based process enhances GSM communication security and can be integrated into existing networks with minimal modifications. Our proposed smartphone, equipped with dual SIM capabilities—one conventional (cSIM) and one quantum (QuSIM)—ensures compatibility with both current and future networks, allowing the benefits of quantum security without requiring a complete system overhaul. By integrating quantum security into classical GSM protocols, our scheme not only enhances security but also addresses crucial aspects of device identity authentication, attestation, and trust establishment. The security and performance analysis of the QuPAP prototype demonstrates a quantum leap in mobile security, fostering a future of trust, privacy, and resilience in the ever-evolving landscape of communication technologies.
Underwater communication (UWC) systems are critical for maritime exploration, environmental monitoring, and defense, yet their security remains vulnerable to quantum computing threats. Recent studies estimate that 65% of underwater infrastructure relies on classical cryptographic protocols, which could be compromised by quantum algorithms within the next decade. Existing solutions, such as ECC-based authentication and lightweight symmetric cryptography, lack scalability, quantum resistance, or resilience against adversarial attacks in highlatency underwater environments. To address this gap, this study proposes a Post-Quantum Authentication Protocol integrating NTRU lattice-based encryption and the Falcon hash function, designed to resist quantum attacks while operating efficiently in resource-constrained UWC networks. The proposed protocol leverages NTRU's hardness assumptions over truncated polynomial rings and Falcon's collision-resistant hashing to ensure mutual authentication, integrity, and confidentiality. Comparative analysis with prior works demonstrates a 40% reduction in communication overhead and 35% faster encryption/decryption cycles, validated through simulations on underwater acoustic modems. This work establishes a robust framework for securing UWC systems against both classical and quantum threats.
In the evolving landscape of quantum computing, the security of conventional cryptosystems is increas- ingly compromised. This requires innovative data protection strategies, leading to the exploration of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) techniques. This research aims to address these challenges, focusing on the integration of Nth- Degree Truncated Polynomial Ring (NTRU) encryption - known for its quantum resistivity - and Shamir’s Secret Sharing (SSS) for secure and quantum-secured key distribution, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Despite their effectiveness, NTRU ciphers face obstacles in public key distribution due to significant computational and memory requirements. Leveraging SSS, a scheme to distribute the NTRU public key to multiple shares, providing enhanced security while mitigating resource limitations is proposed. Recognizing the potential for security breaches like Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, the proposed work seeks to fortify defenses against these threats. The findings of the proposed method are intended to offer a significant contribution to strengthening cryptographic practices in the face of emerging quantum technologies.
This massive rate of expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) has brought about an immediate demand of safer and efficient communication methods with the capacity to endure upcoming cyber threats of the quantum age. Conventional cryptographic keys like RSA and ECC are getting more susceptible to quantum attacks and thus quantum-proof modules should be developed. This study introduces a Quantum-Resilient Communication Protocol, a lightweight cryptography-authentication post-quantum cryptography protocol, an integration of lattice and AES-GCM encryption with HMAC-based authentication to enable more resource-constrained IoT devices to be amely secured. MATLAB and NS-3 were used to simulate the proposed protocol and the performance of the proposed protocol was compared to a traditional ECC-based IoT protocol. The findings indicated that QRCP had improvement in the latency, throughput and energy savings over 40 percent and it was found that QRCP resisted quantum attack of Shor and Grover. The results justify the practicality of integrating the post-quantum cryptographic exceptors in the IoT network and provide a scalable, energy-saving, and future-enabling paradigm of the secure communication in the quantum era of computational computing.
The rapid expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems has introduced significant security challenges due to resource-constrained devices, heterogeneous network architectures, and largescale connectivity. Traditional authentication and key exchange mechanisms, primarily based on classical cryptographic algorithms such as RSA and ECC, are vulnerable to future quantum computing attacks. The emergence of quantum algorithms, particularly Shor’s algorithm, threatens the long-term confidentiality and integrity of IoT communications. This paper proposes a Quantum-Resistant Authentication and Key Exchange Protocol specifically designed for secure IoT architectures. The proposed framework integrates post-quantum cryptographic primitives, including lattice-based key exchange mechanisms and hash-based authentication schemes, optimized for low computational overhead suitable for constrained IoT devices. The protocol ensures mutual authentication, forward secrecy, and resistance against quantum adversaries while maintaining minimal communication latency. Security analysis demonstrates robustness against replay, man-in-the-middle, and key-compromise attacks. Performance evaluation shows that the proposed solution achieves a balance between quantum security strength and resource efficiency, making it suitable for next-generation IoT deployments in smart cities, healthcare systems, and industrial automation.