Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are a technological marvel forming our modern world's backbone. These systems, which integrate physical processes, embedded systems, networking infrastructure, IoT, communication protocols, intelligent algorithms, and other application-specific resources, mark the convergence of computing with control and communication. They unify physical and cyber systems, paving the way for the next generation of critical systems such as autonomous transportation, smart grids, industrial IoT, and more. The next-generation CPS, characterized by their integration of physical processes, embedded systems, networking infrastructure, IoT, communication protocols, and intelligent algorithms, are set to revolutionize our world. These systems will incorporate AI and ML-based algorithms for decision-making and optimization. At the same time, edge and fog computing models will be integrated into the infrastructure to reduce data transmission latencies. New-generation networks like 5G and above will provide high-speed connectivity and seamless integration of devices and components. Digital twins will become a standard tool for simulating new scenarios, predictive maintenance, and more. As security threats for cyber-physical systems evolve alarmingly, robust protection becomes increasingly crucial. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a promising solution in this context. With their ability to provide secure cryptographic key exchanges in the operating environments of cyber-physical systems, QKD protocols are gaining traction as the industry shifts towards quantum computing.
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are a technological marvel forming our modern world's backbone. These systems, which integrate physical processes, embedded systems, networking infrastructure, IoT, communication protocols, intelligent algorithms, and other application-specific resources, mark the convergence of computing with control and communication. They unify physical and cyber systems, paving the way for the next generation of critical systems such as autonomous transportation, smart grids, industrial IoT, and more. The next-generation CPS, characterized by their integration of physical processes, embedded systems, networking infrastructure, IoT, communication protocols, and intelligent algorithms, are set to revolutionize our world. These systems will incorporate AI and ML-based algorithms for decision-making and optimization. At the same time, edge and fog computing models will be integrated into the infrastructure to reduce data transmission latencies. New-generation networks like 5G and above will provide high-speed connectivity and seamless integration of devices and components. Digital twins will become a standard tool for simulating new scenarios, predictive maintenance, and more. As security threats for cyber-physical systems evolve alarmingly, robust protection becomes increasingly crucial. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a promising solution in this context. With their ability to provide secure cryptographic key exchanges in the operating environments of cyber-physical systems, QKD protocols are gaining traction as the industry shifts towards quantum computing.
Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) based on the Internet of Things (IoT) form the backbone of modern smart infrastructures, including smart cities, healthcare monitoring, industrial automation, and intelligent transportation. However, connecting many resource-limited IoT devices makes them more vulnerable to cyber threats, particularly quantum attacks. This review comprehensively examines quantum-secure communication (QSC) frameworks for IoT-enabled CPS, focusing on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms, and hybrid quantum–classical security models suitable for constrained devices. A PRISMA-guided search of the Scopus and Google Scholar database was conducted in January 2026 using three keyword groups related to hybrid security, artificial intelligence, and cyber-physical systems. Based on the evaluation, 6008 publications have been identified between 2001 and 2026. The first-round screening was performed for 4948 articles, after excluding duplicates. During the screening stage, 348 articles were selected for abstract scrutiny, 115 records were excluded due to no direct focus on CPS/IoT applications, 52 studies were excluded because these papers relied on traditional security models, 25 studies were excluded due to insufficient relevance to the review objectives, and 15 additional non-English studies were removed. Following the screening stage, 141 studies were selected for full-text eligibility. Out of those, 86 studies were removed due to a lack of specific evaluation metrics or not being published in a peer-reviewed venue. Furthermore, the publications are classified as QKD-based secure CPS and QSC for industrial IoT, AI-Assisted Secure Communication for CPS Networks, and hybrid PQC-QKD models for CPS/IoT devices. This article investigates recent advancements in secure data transmission, verified protocols, and AI-driven anomaly detection customized to CPS/IoT environments. In addition, operational hurdles, interaction with open innovations, real-time deployment, and secure edge-cloud integration are highlighted. By analyzing recent developments and identifying research gaps, this review provides a structured roadmap for designing secure, scalable, and quantum-safe IoT-based CPS frameworks capable of withstanding next-generation cyber threats. This systematic review was performed and reported according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are critical components in industrial control, automation, and real-time decision, making, where they must frequently rely on cooperative relaying to be able to communicate reliably and with low latency.Nevertheless, advancements in quantum computing capabilities pose a threat to the cryptographic measures traditionally used in these networks.This paper explores the possibility of combining post-quantum secure protocols with the cooperative relaying architectures of CPS environments.We have run simulations to measure the effectiveness of these security measures by monitoring various parameters such as the ability to resist eavesdropping, the efficiency of secure key distribution, throughput, latency, energy consumption, and channel capacity.Our findings indicate that post-quantum technology can be instrumental in fortifying communication security without compromising the efficacy of key management and spectral utilization.The suggested approach also shows excellent flexibility when subjected to realistic traffic scenarios, thereby allowing data transmission with minimal delay required by time, critical control applications.Although post-quantum schemes introduce moderate additional energy overhead, the improvement in long-term security resilience outweighs the cost.The findings confirm that quantum-resilient cooperative relaying provides robust protection for Industrial IoT, smart grid infrastructures, and autonomous control networks against future quantum-enabled attacks, making it a viable foundation for next-generation secure CPS communication.
Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) play a vital role in modern smart environments like smart grids, healthcare systems, industrial automation, and intelligent transport systems. Ensuring secure and efficient communication in CPS is challenging due to rising cyber threats and data privacy issues. Traditional cryptographic techniques are becoming insufficient, especially with the growing threat of quantum computing. This research proposes a security framework for improving throughput efficiency of cyber-physical systems communications using quantum cryptography by implementing the B92 Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocol. The B92 protocol utilizes only two non-orthogonal quantum vectors for secure key generation and distribution, reducing resource consumption and communication overhead. The proposed framework is simulated using MATLAB to model CPS secure communication and evaluate performance metrics such as throughput efficiency, key production rate, quantum bit error rate (QBER), and end-to-end latency. The simulation results show that the B92-based quantum cryptography approach significantly improves throughput efficiency by minimizing key negotiation time while maintaining robust security. This study highlights the effectiveness of integrating quantum cryptography in CPS for building scalable, future-proof, and secure communication systems, ensuring data integrity and privacy against emerging quantum computing threats.
The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its integration into critical infrastructures has elevated the need for robust and future-proof security mechanisms. Traditional cryptographic systems, while effective today, are increasingly vulnerable to advancements in quantum computing. This paper explores the integration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) as a novel security paradigm for next-generation IoT ecosystems. QKD leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to enable unconditionally secure key exchange, immune to computational attacks. We propose an architecture where QKD-enabled edge gateways and IoT nodes facilitate real-time secure communication through quantum-secured channels. The study analyzes the feasibility of implementing QKD in resource-constrained IoT environments and evaluates its performance in terms of key generation rate, latency, and energy consumption. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed QKD-IoT framework significantly outperforms conventional encryption protocols in resisting both classical and quantum-based attacks, making it a viable foundation for building post-quantum resilient IoT infrastructures. The research also outlines the challenges related to scalability, hardware integration, and key management, and proposes solutions through hybrid QKD-classical cryptography models. This work paves the way for a quantum-secure IoT future, ensuring trust, privacy, and integrity in hyper-connected digital ecosystems.
The fast integration of information technology with operational technology in cyber-physical systems (CPS) has introduced new cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure systems including power grids. Current cryptographic systems fail to protect data because emerging quantum computing technology will break existing standard encryption methods. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) employs principles of quantum physics to provide secure communication through an unbreakable method. This paper examines the implementation of QKD technology for CPS systems focusing on SCADA systems of the power grid infrastructure. The paper delivers an extensive evaluation of the QKD system architecture together with feature extraction and classification approaches and practical system implementations. The analysis focuses on hydroelectric systems and wide-area SCADA deployments and post-quantum cryptographic resilience. An extensive review of the existing literature helps us understand the current state, while providing essential knowledge gaps before suggesting research pathways for quantum-enhanced CPS security.
The healthcare sector increasingly relies on Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) that integrate medical devices, networks, and digital records to deliver critical patient care. Protecting sensitive medical data within these interconnected systems is vital due to potential privacy violations and safety risks. The initiation of quantum computing poses substantial threats to traditional cryptographic algorithms, which underpin current healthcare data security. This article examines the deployment of quantum-safe cryptographic algorithms considered to resist quantum attacks, enabling robust protection of healthcare CPS. It highlights advanced encryption methods including lattice-based, hash-based, and code-based post-quantum schemes, alongside quantum key distribution (QKD) for secure key management. The discussion includes challenges related to healthcare-specific system constraints, regulatory compliance, and integration complexity. Through adopting quantum-resistant cryptography and comprehensive key management protocols, healthcare organizations can safeguard electronic health records (EHRs), device communication, and patient data against incipient post-quantum threats, ensuring long-term data confidentiality, integrity, and system resilience.