In recent years, there has been ample research on quantum computing technology that uses quantum mechanics to solve complex mathematical problems that are difficult for classical computers to solve. Currently, digital communication has been secured by many of the public-key cryptosystems that could be compromised by quantum computers. The objective of post-quantum cryptography (also called quantum-resistant cryptography) in cryptographic systems is to protect information against quantum and classical computers. This paper proposes the use of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms in digital signature applications over classical cryptographic algorithms to obtain confidentiality and integrity against quantum computers. To promote PQC in electronic signature applications (e-Sign), we developed a platform (QEsign) to illustrate and analyze the available PQC algorithms to evaluate the performance of the signing time required for a digital signature certificate (DSC) generation in the eSign system. Furthermore, QEsign also provides a provision to generate the CSR (Certificate Signing Request) by providing certificate subject information, which will be exploited to issue the DSC signed by post-quantum algorithms, and the evaluation report will be visualized using a graphical representation.
In recent years, there has been ample research on quantum computing technology that uses quantum mechanics to solve complex mathematical problems that are difficult for classical computers to solve. Currently, digital communication has been secured by many of the public-key cryptosystems that could be compromised by quantum computers. The objective of post-quantum cryptography (also called quantum-resistant cryptography) in cryptographic systems is to protect information against quantum and classical computers. This paper proposes the use of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms in digital signature applications over classical cryptographic algorithms to obtain confidentiality and integrity against quantum computers. To promote PQC in electronic signature applications (e-Sign), we developed a platform (QEsign) to illustrate and analyze the available PQC algorithms to evaluate the performance of the signing time required for a digital signature certificate (DSC) generation in the eSign system. Furthermore, QEsign also provides a provision to generate the CSR (Certificate Signing Request) by providing certificate subject information, which will be exploited to issue the DSC signed by post-quantum algorithms, and the evaluation report will be visualized using a graphical representation.
The emergence of quantum computing introduces unprecedented risks to classical cryptographic schemes, particularly digital signatures that safeguard authentication, confidentiality, and data integrity across digital ecosystems. To address these concerns, this paper investigates the adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) within Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) frameworks, emphasizing its role in strengthening electronic signature (eSign) systems against quantum threats. Traditional PKI implementations rely on algorithms such as RSA and ECC in combination with Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for secure key management; however, these methods are vulnerable to quantum algorithms like Shor's. We examine how quantum-resistant alternatives-including lattice-based, hash-based, and multivariate polynomial-based schemes standardized by NIST-can be integrated into PKI without compromising interoperability and compliance. A comparative evaluation highlights trade-offs in performance, storage, and computational complexity while demonstrating the feasibility of embedding PQC into existing eSign infrastructures. Our findings underscore the urgency of transitioning towards quantum-safe digital signatures to ensure resilience, regulatory alignment, and long-term trust in national-scale digital services.
Information security is a fundamental and urgent issue in the digital transformation era. Cryptographic techniques and digital signatures have been applied to protect and authenticate relevant information. However, with the advent of quantum computers and quantum algorithms, classical cryptographic techniques have been in danger of collapsing because quantum computers can solve complex problems in polynomial time. Stemming from that risk, researchers worldwide have stepped up research on post-quantum algorithms to resist attack by quantum computers. In this review paper, we survey studies in recent years on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and provide statistics on the number and content of publications, including a literature overview, detailed explanations of the most common methods so far, current implementation status, implementation comparisons, and discussion on future work. These studies focused on essential public cryptography techniques and digital signature schemes, and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) launched a competition to select the best candidate for the expected standard. Recent studies have practically implemented the public key encryption/key encapsulation mechanism (PKE/KEM) and digital signature schemes on different hardware platforms and applied various optimization measures based on other criteria. Along with the increasing number of scientific publications, the recent trend of PQC research is increasingly evident and is the general trend in the cryptography industry. The movement opens up a promising avenue for researchers in public key cryptography and digital signatures, especially on algorithms selected by NIST.
Abstract It is viewed as revolutionary technology, offering incredible potential in terms of computing power within different scientific and industrial sectors. Quantum computers provide remarkable computing power; however, they also present significant security risks to existing public-key cryptography systems used to secure digital communication, online banking systems, government, medical applications, cloud computing systems, and IoT systems. Security of commonly used encryption schemes like RSA, DH, and ECC depends on mathematical problems that are impossible for classical computers to solve but can be easily resolved with the help of powerful enough quantum computers by using Shor’s algorithm. Furthermore, Grover’s algorithm makes exhaustive search attacks much faster, thus effectively lowering the security level of symmetric encryption schemes since it provides the speed-up for brute-force attacks. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) turned out to be an effective and scalable method to protect digital data from attacks using quantum computing. In contrast to quantum cryptography, which requires a special quantum communication channel, PQC uses classical cryptographic algorithms that cannot be broken down by either classical or quantum computer due to certain mathematical problems. This research paper offers an extensive exploration of post-quantum cryptography through the analysis of the development of quantum computing, weaknesses of current cryptographic techniques, and mathematics behind quantum-resistant algorithms. Moreover, this paper explores the major classes of PQC techniques such as lattice-based, code-based, hash-based, multivariate, and isogeny-based cryptography and provides details about their security and application. Moreover, the report gives an overview of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project and analyzes recent standardizations of quantum-proof algorithms to be utilized in future digital infrastructures. Keywords: Post-Quantum Encryption, Quantum Security, Quantum-Proof Public-Key Cryptography, Lattice-Based Security Protocols, ML-KEM Key Encapsulation Mechanism, ML-DSA Digital Signature Algorithm, NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography, Contemporary Cybersecurity, Secure Communications, Cryptographic Algorithms.
Quantum computing represents one of the most disruptive technological advancements of the 21st century, with profound implications for modern cryptographic systems. Traditional digital signature algorithms—such as RSA, DSA, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)—derive their security from mathematical problems like integer factorization and discrete logarithms, which are computationally infeasible for classical computers. However, the advent of quantum algorithms, particularly Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms, poses a direct threat to these cryptographic assumptions by drastically reducing the time required to solve such problems. This development renders existing Digital Signature infrastructures potentially obsolete once large-scale quantum computers become operational. To counter this threat, researchers have proposed a range of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms, including lattice-based, hash-based, and multivariate polynomial-based signature schemes, which are designed to resist quantum attacks. This paper critically examines the extent of quantum vulnerability in current Digital Signature systems and evaluates the comparative performance, efficiency, and security trade-offs of post-quantum alternatives. The study aims to provide a structured understanding of the ongoing transition toward quantum-resistant digital authentication and to propose a roadmap for secure implementation in future cryptographic environments.
The impending arrival of viable quantum computing is a major worry to modern-day identity management systems that mainly depend on classical public-key cryptography techniques such as RSA and elliptic curve. Such systems are the basis of secure infrastructure in digital identities such as authentication, digital signature and trust models based on certificates. These cryptographic primitives can be broken using quantum algorithms like Shor and Grover, compromising the privacy of credentials and sessions stored and authenticated on digital ecosystems. The paper provides the necessity of the transition of identity management systems to post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms that will be resistant to quantum attacks. It gives a general overview of quantum-exposed identity protocols, as well as a look at the up-and-coming PQC algorithms under development, with a special call to digital signature algorithms capable of identity provision, authentication, and credential lifecycle management. Moreover, the paper isolates the problems of integration which include key size overhead, legacy system compatibility and performance trade-offs and suggests integration to take place through the use of hybrid and decentralized framework to allow a secure migration. This study will form part of a strategic plan to a post-quantum identity infrastructure, with the long term reliability, validity, and withstanding of quantum-era vulnerabilities.
It is also worth noting that the implementation of quantum computing has been a big threat to the classical cryptographic algorithms that are popular in secure networked systems. PostQuantum Cryptography (PQC) has come to play as one of the viable answers to this issue because it has the capacity to resist quantum-enabled attacks. In this paper, the author offers a detailed performance analysis of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, lattice-based encryption which is based on the Learning with Errors (LWE) principle, and hashbased digital signatures which is based on SPHINCS+. An experimental environment was created that is controlled by using specific performance measures, such as time of key generation, the latency of encryption and decryption, amount of memory, and the size of keys and ciphertext. To determine the suitability of PQC in guaranteeing confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity over insecure channels, secure network communication was emulated. Through experimental findings, it has been shown that the lattice-based generation of keys has greater overhead in terms of computation and memory, but the encryption, decryption and signature processes have feasible limits. The results validate the practicability of the post-quantum cryptography mechanisms implementation in the practical secure network systems and the trade-off between the increased quantum resistance and the resource consumption.