Abstract: This study develops a unified approach to quantum-safe security in accounting and finance by linking concept analysis, a design framework, and implementation guidance to measurable risk reduction. Concept analysis distinguishes confidentiality lifetimes, “harvest-now-decrypt-later” exposure, and cryptographic dependence across ledgers, payments, reporting pipelines, and audit trails. Building on this, a layered framework is articulated comprising (i) threat taxonomy and impact surfaces for financial workflows; (ii) standards alignment with post-quantum cryptography (PQC) suites and crypto-agility policies; (iii) key- and certificate-lifecycle orchestration using HSM-backed services; and (iv) controls for ledger integrity, non-repudiation, and regulatory evidence. The core problem addressed is the absence of end-to-end, standards-compatible designs that deliver quantum resilience without disrupting performance, interoperability, or compliance. Methodology integrates formal threat modeling, standards mapping, and reference-architecture synthesis with scenario evaluation in representative financial processes (inter-system reconciliation, e-signature workflows, and archival protection). Results show that phased PQC migration with automated key rotation and dual-stack validation reduces exposure windows, preserves auditability, and maintains throughput within target bounds for typical batch and near-real-time workloads. Impact arises from procurement-ready patterns, crypto-agile runbooks, and assurance artifacts that support regulatory review and external audit. The implications include actionable migration roadmaps for institutions, improved durability of financial records against future cryptanalytic advances, and clearer accountability through evidence bundles that connect controls to quantifiable risk reduction. Keywords: quantum-safe cryptography, post-quantum cryptography (PQC), financial systems security, accounting information systems, harvest-now decrypt-later, crypto-agility, key management and HSM, digital signatures and non-repudiation, ledger integrity, regulatory compliance, audit evidence, zero-trust architecture, certificate lifecycle, risk assessment and migration planning
Abstract: This study develops a unified approach to quantum-safe security in accounting and finance by linking concept analysis, a design framework, and implementation guidance to measurable risk reduction. Concept analysis distinguishes confidentiality lifetimes, “harvest-now-decrypt-later” exposure, and cryptographic dependence across ledgers, payments, reporting pipelines, and audit trails. Building on this, a layered framework is articulated comprising (i) threat taxonomy and impact surfaces for financial workflows; (ii) standards alignment with post-quantum cryptography (PQC) suites and crypto-agility policies; (iii) key- and certificate-lifecycle orchestration using HSM-backed services; and (iv) controls for ledger integrity, non-repudiation, and regulatory evidence. The core problem addressed is the absence of end-to-end, standards-compatible designs that deliver quantum resilience without disrupting performance, interoperability, or compliance. Methodology integrates formal threat modeling, standards mapping, and reference-architecture synthesis with scenario evaluation in representative financial processes (inter-system reconciliation, e-signature workflows, and archival protection). Results show that phased PQC migration with automated key rotation and dual-stack validation reduces exposure windows, preserves auditability, and maintains throughput within target bounds for typical batch and near-real-time workloads. Impact arises from procurement-ready patterns, crypto-agile runbooks, and assurance artifacts that support regulatory review and external audit. The implications include actionable migration roadmaps for institutions, improved durability of financial records against future cryptanalytic advances, and clearer accountability through evidence bundles that connect controls to quantifiable risk reduction. Keywords: quantum-safe cryptography, post-quantum cryptography (PQC), financial systems security, accounting information systems, harvest-now decrypt-later, crypto-agility, key management and HSM, digital signatures and non-repudiation, ledger integrity, regulatory compliance, audit evidence, zero-trust architecture, certificate lifecycle, risk assessment and migration planning
Quantum computing threatens the security foundations of global financial systems, exposing long-lived data and signed digital assets to “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks. While the timeline for cryptographically relevant quantum computers remains uncertain, regulatory signals from the USA, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia converge: financial institutions and payment infrastructures must begin migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) now to preserve confidentiality, integrity, and systemic stability. This paper maps emerging standards and roadmaps, contrasting binding requirements like the EU’s DORA crypto-agility provisions with non-binding guidance from NIST, ENISA, and ETSI. Despite a shared intent to secure high-risk use cases by 2030–2031 and complete migration by 2035, divergences in enforcement and milestones create uncertainty for cross-border banks and financial market infrastructures. In parallel, technical adoption is advancing: major browsers, cryptographic libraries (OpenSSL/BoringSSL), and CDNs (e.g., AWS CloudFront) have deployed hybrid PQC key exchange in TLS 1.3, proving confidentiality defenses are viable at internet scale. The paper synthesizes historical transition lessons, sector-specific regulatory drivers, and operational constraints in payment infrastructures to derive a new, principle-based migration: crypto-agility, risk-prioritized scoping, hybrid deployment, vendor and supply-chain alignment, independent testing, and proactive supervisory engagement. Acting now reduces long-tail exposure and ensures readiness for imminent compliance and interoperability deadlines.
Abstract: This study advances a unifying systems perspective on quantum-safe network security by synthesizing recent progress in quantum cryptography with practical integration patterns across carrier-grade infrastructures. Concept analysis distinguishes the roles of quantum key distribution (QKD), device-independent variants, quantum authentication, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) within zero-trust architectures. Building on this, a layered framework—spanning physical/entanglement resources, key management, crypto-agility, control plane orchestration, and policy/compliance—is articulated to support end-to-end, composable guarantees. The problem addressed is the realization of verifiable, quantum-resilient security under operational constraints involving latency, key-rate variability, and heterogeneous trust assumptions. Methodology combines a structured literature synthesis with formal composability mapping to universal composability principles, adversarial threat modeling for quantum-enabled attackers, and testbed/simulation evaluation of hybrid QKD–PQC pipelines across L2–L3 segments and 5G/6G backhaul scenarios. Key results indicate that (i) selective QKD deployment on high-value links coupled with PQC at endpoints enhances resilience while preserving crypto-agility; (ii) automated key-lifecycle orchestration reduces exposure windows; and (iii) device-independent assurances strengthen guarantees where trust relaxation is necessary. The impact is a deployment-ready reference architecture, measurable integration metrics, and guidance aligned with emerging standards for critical infrastructure and national networks. The implications extend to procurement, compliance, and roadmap planning for quantum-era network security. Keywords: quantum-safe cryptography, quantum key distribution (QKD), post-quantum cryptography (PQC), hybrid QKD–PQC, composable security, device-independent QKD, zero-trust networks, key management and orchestration, 5G/6G backhaul, network security architecture, standards and interoperability
Abstract: This study develops a public policy evaluation framework for quantum-safe cyber-defence in financial infrastructure, with emphasis on post-quantum cryptography, quantum communications and the governance of critical-sector resilience. The research addresses a strategic problem now facing central banks, payment operators, market infrastructures, commercial banks, fintech platforms and regulators: the public-key cryptographic foundations used for authentication, key establishment and digital trust will become exposed if a cryptographically relevant quantum computer emerges before high-value financial systems complete migration. The paper treats quantum risk not as a narrow algorithm replacement problem, but as a multi-layered policy challenge involving standards, operational continuity, procurement, vendor coordination, legal accountability, cyber-insurance, institutional capability and cross-border interoperability. The framework is grounded in real public evidence from standards bodies, cyber agencies and financial-system reports, including NIST post-quantum standards, NIST migration guidance, NCSC system-owner guidance, NSA post-quantum resources, BIS financial-system quantum-readiness work, BIS Project Leap and national quantum strategy evidence (NIST, 2023; NIST, 2024; BIS, 2025; OECD, 2025). The methodological contribution is a structured evaluation model that links cryptographic exposure, data longevity, systemic criticality, migration complexity and mitigation maturity into a risk-priority index. The results identify wholesale settlement, central counterparty clearing, securities settlement, cross-border financial messaging, certificate trust anchors and key-management services as the most urgent layers for cryptographic inventory, hybrid testing and staged transition. The analysis finds that post-quantum cryptography is the practical near-term route to scalable resilience, while quantum key distribution remains appropriate only for carefully bounded pilots unless cost, authentication and infrastructure dependencies are resolved. The paper concludes that quantum-safe financial infrastructure requires an integrated policy architecture built around cryptographic agility, real-time asset discovery, supervisory milestones, interoperable implementation testing, mathematically auditable decision rules and coordinated public-private transition governance. Keywords: post-quantum cryptography; quantum-safe finance; cyber-defence; financial infrastructure; public policy evaluation; quantum communications; critical infrastructure resilience; cryptographic agility; ML-KEM; ML-DSA; quantum readiness; payment systems
The rise of quantum computing introduces a profound threat to existing digital security frameworks, particularly those that underpin modern payment systems. Current cryptographic standards, such as RSA, ECC, and ECDSA are susceptible to being broken by quantum algorithms like Shor's and Grover's, jeopardizing the confidentiality, authenticity, and integrity of transactions across financial networks. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the design, feasibility, and architecture of a universal quantum-safe payment platform capable of processing all types of digital transactions, ranging from mobile money and bank transfers to blockchain-based and card payments through existing delivery channels on a decentralized infrastructure. The research synthesizes current developments in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), including lattice-based, hash-based, and code-based algorithms, and evaluates their suitability for real-time financial systems. The proposed platform incorporates a permissioned distributed ledger, API-level compatibility with legacy financial protocols, and an identity-governed, modular architecture that enables cryptographic agility and policy compliance. Through architectural modeling and critical analysis, this research provides a forward-looking blueprint for building quantum-resilient financial infrastructure. It concludes that while performance and governance hurdles remain, quantum-safe payment networks are both technically feasible and urgently necessary. This work aims to equip stakeholders, especially fintech firms, banks, and regulatory bodies, with a detailed roadmap for transitioning to secure, interoperable, and scalable payment systems in the quantum era.
Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift that poses a profound threat to contemporary financial cryptographic systems. This study investigates the implications of quantum computing on classical encryption mechanisms and evaluates the effectiveness of post-quantum cryptographic solutions for securing financial transactions. Using a mixed-methods experimental approach, the study quantitatively analyzes the vulnerability of widely used cryptographic algorithms, including RSA, elliptic curve cryptography, and AES, under quantum attack models based on Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms. The results demonstrate a drastic reduction in security for asymmetric cryptographic schemes and a significant degradation in symmetric key strength, effectively halving their security margins. Qualitative risk analysis further reveals heightened exposure of financial systems to long-term data breaches, transaction manipulation, and regulatory non-compliance, particularly under “harvest-now, decrypt-later” scenarios. Post-quantum cryptographic schemes, including lattice-based and hash-based methods, are shown to provide robust resistance to quantum attacks while introducing manageable computational overhead. The findings highlight the importance of crypto-agility, hybrid cryptographic deployment, and early migration strategies to mitigate quantum-induced risks. This study concludes that the proactive adoption of quantum-safe cryptography is essential to preserving financial security, operational resilience, and trust in the emerging quantum era.
The imminent advent of a Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computer (CRQC) poses an existential threat to the US financial infrastructure.Current payment rails including FedWire, CHIPS, and ACH rely on RSA and ECC standards that are mathematically vulnerable to Shor's Algorithm.This facilitates "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later" (HNDL) attacks, where encrypted data is intercepted today for future decryption.This paper evaluates the migration to NIST-standardized Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), specifically ML-KEM and ML-DSA.We analyze the architectural challenges of integrati ng these primitives into ISO 20022 formats, focusing on the trade-offs between increased packet size and sub-millisecond latency requirements.By proposing a phased migration framework using Hybrid Cryptographic Wrappers, this research provides a roadmap for maintaining regulatory compliance under NSM-10 while preventing a systemic collapse of digital trust and the associated multitrillion-dollar risk to the US GDP.