The rapid evolution of healthcare systems, coupled with advancements in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), has introduced unprecedented security and privacy challenges. Traditional security solutions fail to address emerging threats posed by quantum computing and AI-driven cyberattacks. This paper proposes an Integrative Quantum Blockchain and AI-Driven Security Framework for Healthcare Systems, incorporating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and AI-powered threat detection. The proposed framework enhances data integrity, authentication, and resistance against cyber threats, while optimizing energy efficiency. This paper presents the architecture, security benefits, performance analysis, and future research directions for integrating quantum blockchain and AI in healthcare security.
The rapid evolution of healthcare systems, coupled with advancements in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), has introduced unprecedented security and privacy challenges. Traditional security solutions fail to address emerging threats posed by quantum computing and AI-driven cyberattacks. This paper proposes an Integrative Quantum Blockchain and AI-Driven Security Framework for Healthcare Systems, incorporating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and AI-powered threat detection. The proposed framework enhances data integrity, authentication, and resistance against cyber threats, while optimizing energy efficiency. This paper presents the architecture, security benefits, performance analysis, and future research directions for integrating quantum blockchain and AI in healthcare security.
Because many modern healthcare security systems rely on traditional cryptographic primitives that are susceptible to quantum attacks, the quick development of quantum computing poses previously unheard-of risks. With the increasing use of wearable sensors, telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics and distributed clinical databases, as well as the increasing digitisation of healthcare, the need for quantum-resilient protection becomes critical. The integration of quantum and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) as fundamental security measures for upcoming intelligent healthcare ecosystems is thoroughly examined in this chapter. We summarise recent developments in cryptographic standards, secure communication protocols, AI-enabled defence mechanisms and blockchain-based data integrity systems using a PRISMA-guided systematic review. With an emphasis on performance, scalability and resistance to Shor- and Grover-based attacks, we further develop a simulation framework to assess hybrid quantum, classical security architectures under adversarial quantum scenarios. Our results show that while hash-based signatures provide ultra-long-term integrity for genomic and archival medical data, lattice-based PQC schemes, in particular CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium, show strong suitability for electronic health record (EHR) encryption, secure IoMT communication and federated learning aggregation. A unified quantum-resilient architecture incorporating PQC, blockchain consensus, AI-based anomaly detection and quantum key distribution (QKD) is one of the theoretical contributions. In summary, we highlight the potential of quantum homomorphic AI, neuromorphic cryptosystems, quantum biometrics and adaptive threat intelligence to develop a safe, reliable and scalable paradigm for quantum-ready healthcare.
Healthcare systems are increasingly data-driven through EHRs, telemedicine, and IoT-based medical devices. However, cyber threats, poor interoperability, and data tampering expose the vulnerabilities of centralized systems. Blockchain offers immutability and transparency, yet its traditional cryptography faces risks from quantum computing, which can compromise existing encryption. To address this, the chapter proposes a quantum-enhanced blockchain framework integrating post-quantum cryptography (PQC), quantum key distribution (QKD), and hybrid quantum-classical consensus. The model strengthens confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of healthcare data while ensuring interoperability and regulatory compliance. Key applications include secure EHR and genomic data management, automated patient consent handling, transparent drug supply chain monitoring, and protection of clinical research. The chapter also discusses ethical, technical, and regulatory challenges, offering insights into building resilient, quantum-secure healthcare ecosystems.
The rapid digitalisation of healthcare has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), transforming healthcare delivery into a highly interconnected and patient-centric ecosystem. In response to growing concerns about data security, privacy, and interoperability, blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution for its decentralization, immutability, auditability, and secure access control. However, many existing blockchain infrastructures rely on classical cryptographic primitives, including RSA- or elliptic-curve-based public-key mechanisms and cryptographic hash functions such as SHA-256, whose relevant security properties may be affected by sufficiently powerful quantum attacks. This review investigates the convergence of blockchain and quantum technologies to address emerging security threats in e-health systems. A structured literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines using the IEEE Xplore, PubMed, ACM Digital Library, Google Scholar, and Crossref databases, covering studies published between January 2018 and June 2025. Following a systematic screening and eligibility-verification process, 57 relevant studies were selected and analyzed. The review evaluates quantum-resilient security mechanisms, including Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG), and NIST-standardized Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms specified in FIPS 203, FIPS 204, and FIPS 205. Based on the identified research gaps in the state of the art, this study also proposes a novel four-layer Quantum-Blockchain Security Architecture (QBSA) designed for secure healthcare environments. The analysis further reveals significant challenges associated with lightweight PQC deployment for IoMT devices, interoperability standardization, quantum hardware limitations, and regulatory compliance in cross-institutional healthcare systems. The findings highlight the necessity of integrating quantum-resilient cryptographic frameworks with blockchain infrastructures to support the development of secure, scalable, and patient-centric next-generation e-health ecosystems.
The increasing digitalization of the healthcare system, driven by electronic health records, medical IoT devices, and AI-aided diagnostics, has significantly expanded the attack surface for cyber threats. Although current cryptographic protocols provide sufficient security against classical adversaries, new developments in quantum computing threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of medical information as never before. Shor’s algorithm could break widely used asymmetric encryption systems, and Grover’s algorithm weakens symmetric ones, which could render modern healthcare security systems obsolete. This review provides an in-depth and organized analysis of the evolving quantum threat environment in healthcare ecosystems and of the need to move toward quantum-resilient security architectures. It synthesizes the existing literature on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and identifies lattice-based, hash-based, multivariate, and code-based algorithms as potentially viable long-term replacements. Moreover, it examines the cybersecurity issues that quantum-enabled attacks pose to medical IoT systems, clinical decision-support systems, wearable sensors, telemedicine systems, and cloud-based health information exchanges. The review also covers hybrid quantum-classical defenses, quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum random number generation (QRNG), and blockchain-based trust systems that aim to make systems resilient to advanced persistent quantum attacks. This paper identifies key gaps and outlines future research directions for developing quantum-secure medical systems. The results highlight the importance of early adoption of PQC standards and a layered cyber defense approach to protect patient privacy, ensure regulatory compliance, and retain trust in next-generation digital medical data communication.
The convergence of blockchain technology and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) significantly enhances data security and interoperability in healthcare systems. However, emerging quantum computing capabilities pose critical threats to conventional cryptographic algorithms underpinning blockchain security. Moreover, as IoMT devices manage sensitive patient data and perform essential healthcare functions, ensuring robust protection against both classical and quantum attacks has become increasingly urgent. To mitigate these risks, this paper introduces a Post-Quantum Cryptography Integration Framework (PQCIF), designed to protect blockchain-enabled IoMT (BIoMT) systems and infrastructures against classical and quantum attacks. PQ-CIF is a hybrid framework leveraging NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms combined with conventional public-private key pair cryptography schemes, strategically integrating them within BIoMT architectures for robust long-term security. We provide comprehensive evaluation metrics and present a detailed case study demonstrating the efficacy and minimal overhead of our proposed framework in a simulated healthcare blockchain network.
The rapid advancement of quantum computing poses a significant threat to classical cryptographic methods used in blockchain-based healthcare systems. Existing security mechanisms such as RSA and ECC are vulnerable to quantum attacks, posing a risk to patient data integrity, confidentiality, and authentication mechanisms. To address this challenge, postquantum cryptographic (PQC) solutions, including lattice-based, hash-based, code-based, and multivariate polynomial-based techniques, have been proposed. This study systematically reviews and classifies PQC methods and their integration into blockchainbased healthcare infrastructures. A three-layer security model is discussed to enhance blockchain resilience against quantum attacks. The study further explores on-chain, off-chain, and crosschain security mechanisms within healthcare applications to ensure secure medical data storage, patient identity management, and interoperability among healthcare providers. The findings suggest that hybrid cryptographic models, combining classical and post-quantum techniques, provide a practical transition strategy for ensuring long-term security in blockchain networks. This research contributes to the field by offering a structured classification of quantum-resistant blockchain security mechanisms and providing insights into future research directions, particularly in the areas of quantum-safe healthcare data management, performance optimization of PQC methods, and the development of quantum-resistant smart contracts.