The classic methods of encryption and ciphering techniques have a major threat due to the rapid growth of quantum computing. This is particularly true for the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) where sensitive patients’ data needs to be protected in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. RSA and ECC serve as two examples of public key cryptographic algorithms that are highly vulnerable to quantum attacks especially the Shor’s and Grover’s algorithm. In the context of resource constrained IoMT systems, this thesis proposes a new hash-based hybrid cryptographic algorithm that is resilient to post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) attacks. In order to achieve resistance against quantum threats the proposed method uses hash-based digital signatures such as XMSS, SPHINCS+, or symmetric encryption like AES-256 with higher key sizes. In the Qiskit environment (Python, Anaconda Navigator, and Jupyter Notebook), Grover’s algorithm is modeled to simulate quantum threats. The proposed method is tested through quantum circuit analysis to evaluate their robustness. Our results will prove that the hybrid scheme, while remaining lightweight and suitable for real-time medical applications, significantly lowers the efficiency gains of quantum attacks. The proposed method will bridge the gap between the theoretical world of PQC and the practical world of IoMT networks, improving the long-term security and trust in critical healthcare systems.
The classic methods of encryption and ciphering techniques have a major threat due to the rapid growth of quantum computing. This is particularly true for the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) where sensitive patients’ data needs to be protected in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. RSA and ECC serve as two examples of public key cryptographic algorithms that are highly vulnerable to quantum attacks especially the Shor’s and Grover’s algorithm. In the context of resource constrained IoMT systems, this thesis proposes a new hash-based hybrid cryptographic algorithm that is resilient to post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) attacks. In order to achieve resistance against quantum threats the proposed method uses hash-based digital signatures such as XMSS, SPHINCS+, or symmetric encryption like AES-256 with higher key sizes. In the Qiskit environment (Python, Anaconda Navigator, and Jupyter Notebook), Grover’s algorithm is modeled to simulate quantum threats. The proposed method is tested through quantum circuit analysis to evaluate their robustness. Our results will prove that the hybrid scheme, while remaining lightweight and suitable for real-time medical applications, significantly lowers the efficiency gains of quantum attacks. The proposed method will bridge the gap between the theoretical world of PQC and the practical world of IoMT networks, improving the long-term security and trust in critical healthcare systems.
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 current cryptographic standards, particularly those securing electronic health records (EHRs) in healthcare systems.Traditional encryption methods such as RSA, ECC, and AES, while robust against classical attacks, are vulnerable to quantum algorithms like Shor's and Grover's, which can efficiently break cryptographic keys and compromise patient data integrity.As healthcare systems become increasingly interconnected through the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based infrastructures, the need for quantum-resistant security mechanisms becomes paramount.Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) emerges as a viable solution to future-proof EHR security by employing lattice-based, hash-based, code-based, and multivariate polynomial cryptographic techniques that remain resistant to quantum attacks.This paper explores the implications of quantum computing on healthcare cybersecurity, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of existing encryption protocols and the necessity of transitioning toward PQC frameworks.Furthermore, we examine the integration of PQC within healthcare infrastructures, focusing on key exchange mechanisms, digital signatures, and end-to-end encryption for secure EHR transactions.Additionally, the study highlights regulatory and compliance considerations, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) PQC standardization efforts and the role of Zero Trust security models in mitigating quantum-era cyber risks.Case studies illustrate successful implementations of PQC in healthcare networks, demonstrating its feasibility and effectiveness in safeguarding sensitive medical information.By adopting quantum-resistant cryptographic standards, healthcare institutions can proactively defend against emerging cyber threats, ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and long-term resilience in the face of quantum computing advancements.
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 Hybrid approach in Quantum Cryptography creates adaptable security model which provides the safest Communication in the emerging quantum era. The development of quantum computing raise questions about the long-term security. Traditional algorithms, such as RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman, which is seemed computationally secure but it can be effectively solved by quantum algorithms such as Shor's and Grover's. This problem leads to the origination of two key trends in current studies, namely Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), designing mathematical approaches to encryption resistant to quantum attacks; Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) using the principles of quantum mechanics to assure security in communications. Accordingly, this research proposes a hybrid security framework including reliable data encryption and authentication using PQC, combined with the safe key- exchange method of QKD. The model is implemented in Python, Qiskit, and PQClean's Kyber and Dilithium algorithms to show how these two paradigms can cooperate toward quantum- resilient communication. To present the system performance, key exchange efficiency, computational overhead, and security strength have been considered. According to the results, this hybrid approach gives superior defense against quantum threats while maintaining practical effectiveness for real-world applications such as cloud security, 6G networks, and the Internet of Things.
The Internet of Things (IoT) now underpins critical systems like healthcare monitors, smart home, smart grids, automotive V2V & V2X networks, and industrial controls but it still relies on classical cryptography, whose security assumptions are vulnerable to quantum computers. A large quantum computer could run Shor’s algorithm to break RSA/ECC and use Grover’s algorithm to accelerate brute-forcing of symmetric keys, undermining the confidentiality and authentication of data in these IoT applications. Researchers have proposed quantum cryptographic solutions. Quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum random number generators (QRNGs) exploit quantum mechanics to detect eavesdropping and deliver provably secure key material. For example, chip-scale QRNGs can be embedded in IoT sensors to generate true random keys, boosting resistance to brute-force attacks. These quantum techniques provide information-theoretic secrecy, for instance, QKD-generated keys have been used to authenticate smart-grid SCADA. However, most IoT devices are resource-constrained, making direct deployment of conventional QKD hardware challenging. Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) complements quantum methods by providing algorithms such as lattice-based, hash-based that resist quantum attacks on existing hardware. Standardized PQC can be deployed via software updates on legacy IoT nodes, enabling scalable and quantum-safe security within current constraints. Researchers are exploring lightweight PQC for connected cars and e-health sensors. Hybrid approaches combining QKD/QRNG with PQC offer a layered defense. Since QKD protocols are regarded as ‘future-proof’ and PQC standards mature, their combined use will be essential for robust, quantum-safe IoT security. Miniaturizing quantum components such as integrated QKD/QRNG modules and optimizing lightweight PQC schemes for low-power IoT devices are future research directions to secure IoT networks.
The burgeoning Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) necessitates robust security for sensitive patient data transmitted during telemedicine practices. However, traditional cryptography faces potential obsolescence due to quantum computing advancements. This research addresses this challenge by introducing an adaptive quantum-resistant cipher suite specifically designed for IoMT telemedicine. The suite incorporates a family of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms, enabling dynamic selection based on device capabilities and data sensitivity. We evaluate the suite's security using a theoretical framework considering various cryptanalysis techniques. Additionally, performance is assessed on simulated IoMT devices using metrics like encryption/decryption speed and resource consumption. Compared to traditional methods, the proposed suite offers demonstrably stronger quantum-resistant security without compromising efficiency on resource-constrained devices. This research holds significant promise for securing telemedicine within the IoMT landscape, promoting patient privacy and trust in remote healthcare delivery.