This study explores how to build quantum-resistant systems to safeguard digital infrastructure in the post-quantum era by uncovering the innovations, applications, algorithms, and challenges of Quantum Computing cryptography. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach a search was conducted across the following databases for the years 2021–2025: PubMed, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. We shortlisted 15 studies from 519 screened articles for a comprehensive evaluation based on their relevance. Findings show strong adoption in finance, healthcare, IoT, cybersecurity, and e-government, with lattice-based PQC emerging as the most dominant cryptographic family, followed by QKD and hybrid PQC–QKD models. The review highlights key obstacles, including transition complexity, lack of global standards, high implementation costs, and integration difficulty. The study contributes by providing the first sector-aligned synthesis of innovations, identifying algorithmic trends, and mapping global research disparities through a conceptual model. It also presents a structured set of future research directions to guide policymakers, cryptographers, and practitioners preparing for quantum-enabled threats.
This study explores how to build quantum-resistant systems to safeguard digital infrastructure in the post-quantum era by uncovering the innovations, applications, algorithms, and challenges of Quantum Computing cryptography. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach a search was conducted across the following databases for the years 2021–2025: PubMed, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. We shortlisted 15 studies from 519 screened articles for a comprehensive evaluation based on their relevance. Findings show strong adoption in finance, healthcare, IoT, cybersecurity, and e-government, with lattice-based PQC emerging as the most dominant cryptographic family, followed by QKD and hybrid PQC–QKD models. The review highlights key obstacles, including transition complexity, lack of global standards, high implementation costs, and integration difficulty. The study contributes by providing the first sector-aligned synthesis of innovations, identifying algorithmic trends, and mapping global research disparities through a conceptual model. It also presents a structured set of future research directions to guide policymakers, cryptographers, and practitioners preparing for quantum-enabled threats.
This systematic review examines the transformative impact of quantum computing (QC) on cybersecurity by analysing peer-reviewed literature published between 2019 and 2024. The study identifies the most pressing emerging threats, particularly the vulnerability of classical cryptographic systems to quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s. It assesses the current state of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions, including lattice-based schemes and hybrid frameworks integrating quantum key distribution (QKD). The originality of this work lies in its focus on synthesizing research across disciplines while critically evaluating implementation readiness, economic feasibility, and scalability particularly for internet of things (IoT) environments. Key contributions include the integration of real-world pilot case studies, a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) -based methodological framework, and a strategic outlook for interdisciplinary collaboration. This review provides significant insight into the evolving cybersecurity landscape and offers robust recommendations for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners aiming to navigate the quantum era with confidence.
Abstract Quantum computing exploits superposition and entanglement to process information in an exponentially large state space, enabling algorithms such as Shor’s to factor large integers efficiently and thereby undermining RSA and elliptic curve cryptography. Quantum cryptography, here encompassing post quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms and quantum key distribution (QKD), is a leading candidate for protecting data against quantum capable adversaries. PQC designs classical schemes conjectured to be secure against both quantum and classical attacks, whereas QKD uses quantum mechanics to detect eavesdropping and establish information theoretically secure keys. Existing literature and limitations. Recent surveys summarise PQC families and the standardisation process led by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and reviews outline QKD protocols and their challenges. However, most prior work either addresses narrow subtopics or does not systematically synthesise empirical evidence across technical and application domains. As a result, there is still limited integrated understanding of key issues, technologies, mathematical foun dations, algorithms, programming tools and real world deployments. Objective and contributions of this review. This study systematically analyses 61 peer reviewed journal articles published within the last five years that focus on quantum cryptography. Using Covidence to manage study identification, selection, quality assessment, data extraction and narrative synthesis, it (a) characterises current issues and challenges; (b) surveys recent technological advancements and implementations; (c) evaluates algorithmic approaches and their effectiveness; (d) examines the underlying mathematical models; (e) maps the programming languages and tools used to implement quantum schemes; and (f) synthesises evidence on practical applications and future research directions. The review integrates findings on PQC and QKD, highlights gaps in the current evidence base, and offers practitioners, scholars and policymakers guidance for developing quantum secure communication systems. Keywords Quantum cryptography, Post quantum cryptography, Quantum key distribution, Systematic literature review, Quantum secure communication
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is an emerging field that aims to develop cryptographic algorithms resistant to attacks by quantum computers. As quantum computing technology advances, traditional cryptographic methods such as RSA and ECC are becoming increasingly vulnerable. This systematic review provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of PQC, focusing on the most promising algorithms and their potential applications. The review covers lattice-based, code-based, multivariate, and hash-based cryptographic schemes, evaluating their security, efficiency, and practicality. We also discuss the challenges and future directions in PQC, including standardization efforts and integration into existing cryptographic systems. This paper aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in the next generation of cybersecurity algorithms
Quantum computers threaten to break asymmetric cryptography protocols almost immediately. To address this, researchers are developing post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which offers greater security but comes with higher costs and greater implementation complexity. The objective of this article is to identify the NEW cryptographic schemes, methods, and algorithms designed to resist quantum attacks. To do so, we first conducted a literature review that included mapped studies, systematic reviews, and surveys published in 2025 and mid-2026. This would help identify gaps and knowledge vacuums. Second, we conducted a systematic review using the PRISMA methodological guidelines for the period between 2020 and mid-2026 to compare the performance of PQC schemes, characterize the main challenges of their implementation, and identify trends. The results show that lattice-based schemes, followed by code-based and hash-based schemes, are the most extensively researched because they balance security, computational efficiency, and readiness for standardization. Furthermore, the most commonly reported performance metrics are key and signature sizes, as well as execution times. Meanwhile, scalability, power consumption, and performance on resource-constrained devices have been explored very little. Our study concludes with the key priorities that are likely to shape the future development of PQC.
The rapid development of quantum computing is one of the most transformative technological developments of the twenty-first century with profound implications for cybersecurity, digital governance and the future of secure communication systems. Traditional cryptographic infrastructures have fundamentally underpinned digital trust in banking, healthcare, defense, cloud computing, and global communication networks, but the advent of quantum computational power has led to increasing concern about the future of existing standards for encryption. This qualitative study critically examines the changing relationship between quantum computing and post-quantum cryptography through an analysis of the technological, institutional, ethical and governance challenges in the transition to quantum-secure digital systems. The study adopts an interpretivist and exploratory qualitative orientation that aims to understand how governments, cybersecurity experts, technology institutions and policy frameworks are responding to the disruptive potential of quantum technologies. Data were collected using thematic analysis of academic literature, cybersecurity policy documents, archival technological reviews, expert commentaries, institutional reports, and emerging case studies related to the development of quantum-resistant cryptography. The results show that quantum computing presents serious threats to existing public-key cryptographic systems, especially in terms of theoretical abilities of Shor’s algorithm and future quantum decryption models. Meanwhile, the paper outlines post-quantum cryptography as a vital avenue for safeguarding digital privacy, institutional credibility, and cybersecurity robustness in an ever more networked society. The analysis also points to ongoing challenges around technological readiness, regulatory uncertainty, global standardization, resource inequality and ethical issues around surveillance, privacy and digital sovereignty. Yet, the research points to the potential for secure digital transformation, resilient cybersecurity governance, and the re-inventing of future communication infrastructure through post-quantum innovation. The research finds that the transition to quantum-secure systems is not just a technological challenge, but a multidimensional governance and policy challenge requiring international cooperation, ethical foresight and proactive institutional change.
The advent of quantum computing poses a significant threat to current cryptographic systems, particularly public-key algorithms such as RSA and ECC, which are vulnerable to quantum attacks like Shor's algorithm. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) aims to develop and standardize quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms to secure digital communications in the quantum era. This paper examines the current landscape of PQC, focusing on the evaluation and standardization efforts led by organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). We analyze the major families of quantum-resistant algorithms, including lattice-based, hash-based, code-based, multivariate, and isogeny-based cryptography, discussing their security guarantees, performance trade-offs, and implementation challenges. Furthermore, we review NIST's PQC standardization process, highlighting selected finalists and alternate candidates, and explore the ongoing transition challenges in adopting these algorithms across industries. Finally, we discuss future directions for PQC research, including hybrid cryptographic systems and the need for continued cryptanalysis to ensure long-term security. This work provides a comprehensive overview of the progress and challenges in deploying quantum-resistant cryptography to safeguard against emerging quantum threats.