In the last few years the threat of quantum computers has become bigger and bigger. The fast computing of the quantum computers puts everything in danger that relies on classical cryptographic algorithms. The question of when a large-scale quantum computer will be built cannot be exactly answered yet. According to the Cloud Security Alliance at around 2030 the power of quantum computers will increase so that the risk for exposure of traditionally encrypted data will be very high. PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) relies on asymmetric cryptographic algorithms and is widely used in many fields. So it is important that it will be completely safe. The way to provide that is to change traditional cryptographic algorithms to post-quantum cryptography algorithms or hybrid solutions. To this, we review in this paper the basics of classical PKI and quantum cryptography methods and the threat of quantum computing for PKI. We present quantum-safe solutions already in use and recommend new, well-performing solutions for a quantum-resistant PKI by comparison.
In the last few years the threat of quantum computers has become bigger and bigger. The fast computing of the quantum computers puts everything in danger that relies on classical cryptographic algorithms. The question of when a large-scale quantum computer will be built cannot be exactly answered yet. According to the Cloud Security Alliance at around 2030 the power of quantum computers will increase so that the risk for exposure of traditionally encrypted data will be very high. PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) relies on asymmetric cryptographic algorithms and is widely used in many fields. So it is important that it will be completely safe. The way to provide that is to change traditional cryptographic algorithms to post-quantum cryptography algorithms or hybrid solutions. To this, we review in this paper the basics of classical PKI and quantum cryptography methods and the threat of quantum computing for PKI. We present quantum-safe solutions already in use and recommend new, well-performing solutions for a quantum-resistant PKI by comparison.
Recently, there has been an increasing focus on the investigation of quantum-safe solutions for a variety of applications. One of the pressing issues that needs to be made quantum secure is the TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol. Proposals for its implementation have been discussed in several articles. The TLS protocol is based on PKI (Public Key Infrastructure). In addition, there are many other PKI applications that are used every day in both private and enterprise environments, so securing their use is essential. The methods currently developed to ensure adequate security will become obsolete with the advent of quantum computers. According to the Cloud Security Alliance, by around 2030, the performance of quantum computers will increase to the point where the risk of vulnerability of traditionally encrypted data will be very high. It is therefore important to make the right preparations in time to ensure that we can transform our solutions into quantum secure solutions by the time quantum computing becomes a real threat. In this paper, we present an analysis to this end, presenting quantum-safe solutions already in use and, in comparison, proposing new, well-performing solutions for a quantum-resistant PKI.
Development of Quantum Computers are growing rapidly, the security of today’s cryptographic systems which are working with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is at serious risk. RSA and ECC algorithms are the backbone of secure communication and digital identity can be breakable by quantum algorithms such as Shor’s. Hence, a transition is required to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), which is designed to handle quantum attacks. This work provides a detailed review of how PQC can be integrated with the existing PKI, with a special focus on the auto-enrollment process. Auto-enrollment is an essential process but often overlooked mechanism, responsible for automatically issuing and renewing digital certificates. First, we explored how current PKI systems are exposed to the quantum threats and the readiness. The performance of the algorithms that are standardized by NIST, such as Kyber and Dilithium were discussed. We analyze the technical and operational challenges of transitioning to PQC by referencing both research studies and real-world implementations from major industry players such as Google and Microsoft. These include large key size, certificate size, compatibility issues, complex computations and need for crypto-agility. We also examine the hybrid approaches that combine classical and post-quantum methods as traditional strategies. The survey concludes by outlining best practices, deployment considerations, and open research challenges that must be addressed for a smooth, secure, and scalable shift to quantum-safe PKI. This work aims to guide researchers, engineers, and policymakers in building the next generation of cryptographic infrastructure that can stand the test-time even in a quantum world.
Abstract Quantum computing technologies pose a significant threat to the currently employed public-key cryptography protocols. In this paper, we discuss the impact of the quantum threat on public key infrastructures (PKIs), which are used as a part of security systems for protecting production environments. We analyze security issues of existing models with a focus on requirements for a fast transition to post-quantum solutions. Although our primary focus is on the attacks with quantum computing, we also discuss some security issues that are not directly related to the used cryptographic algorithms but are essential for the overall security of the PKI. We attempt to provide a set of security recommendations regarding the PKI from the viewpoints of attacks with quantum computers.
The recent development in Quantum Computing is creating a potential threat to many Digital Banking Systems currently being used today. Most banking systems today use Classical Public Key Cryptography technologies like RSA and Elliptical Curve Cryptography that will be broken by a very powerful, large-scale Quantum Computer. Because financial data typically has to be kept private for an extended time period, this problem creates a major long-term risk. This research proposes a Hybrid Post-Quantum Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Framework for the improvement of banking security while maintaining compatibility with the existing banking systems. Rather than immediately replacing all classical cryptographic mechanisms, the Hybrid Post-Quantum Solution utilizes a combination of post-quantum algorithms along with traditional techniques. The proposed Hybrid Post-Quantum PKI model provides a reasonable and scalable path for banks to transition their systems from current quantum-vulnerable security infrastructures to new quantum-resilient security infrastructures.
The advent of quantum computing poses a significant threat to the foundational cryptographic algorithms that secure modern digital communications. [27]. Protocols such as HTTPS, digital certificates, and public key infrastructures (PKIs) heavily rely on cryptographic primitives like RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman, which are vulnerable to quantum attacks—most notably Shor’s algorithm. [18]. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis between classical cryptographic algorithms currently in widespread use and emerging post-quantum cryptographic schemes designed to withstand quantum adversaries. [24]. We review the cryptographic mechanisms underpinning modern internet security, outline the mathematical foundations of quantum attacks, and evaluate the security, performance, and implementation feasibility of quantum-resistant alternatives such as Kyber, Dilithium, and Falcon. [25]. Additionally, we assess the hybrid approaches currently being explored by institutions and tech companies to enable a smooth transition to post-quantum cryptography. [23]. By providing an in-depth comparison, this study aims to guide researchers, developers, and policymakers in understanding the critical implications of quantum computing on cryptographic infrastructures and the necessary steps for securing communications in the quantum era. [16].
Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is, and should be, currently dominating the field of cybersecurity, with many works designing and evaluating the transition of communications security to quantum-safe solutions. As the security level and implementations of post-quantum algorithms become more mature, the research on their application to realistic conditions changes accordingly, especially their application to widely adopted network architectures and corresponding protocols such as the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). In this survey, we identified articles presenting ways of integrating PQC algorithms to PKI and classified related work according to the employed methods and benchmarking choices. The main results from many evaluations converge to similar conclusions on the performance of the most popular PC digital signature algorithms; however, modeling choices concerning architecture variants, hardware and measurement metrics vary. The diversity of the results and experimental setups makes comparison difficult and arrival at an objective conclusion regarding PKI requirements almost impossible. Ultimately, this review reveals a fragmented landscape of benchmarking practices for post-quantum PKI systems. The absence of standardized evaluation frameworks and common test environments limits the comparability and reproducibility of the findings. We aim to provide reference implementations, which are essential to guide the transition of PKI infrastructures toward robust, scalable, and quantum-resistant deployments.