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A Reconfigured RLWE-Based Mutual Authentication Protocol for Post- Quantum IoT Security

S. Catherin Sonia, Thangappan Jaya

Published Apr 7, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract The conventional cryptographic algorithm faces a threat due to the evolution of quantum computing algorithms. In recent days, IoT devices demand authentication techniques to ensure a perfectly secure system. Thus, to address this issue, this paper presents a Modified Ring Learning with Errors–based Mutual Authentication (MRMA) scheme tailored for resource-constrained IoT environments. The computational hardness of the RLWE problem, the proposed scheme employs polynomial-level optimizations to reduce key size and computational overhead, also preserving post-quantum security in IoT devices. To further enhance the security–efficiency trade-off, a Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) driven parameter tuning layer is introduced, formulating cryptographic parameter selection as a concern for a multi-objective optimization problem over polynomial degree, modulus, and noise distribution. Also, to improve latency and throughput, the assistance of QAOA is needed. The traditional scheme requires larger keys (512–2048 bits) and high processing time. Our performance analysis proves that the proposed MRMA scheme implements a compact 256-bit key, includes a low authentication latency of 0.0065 seconds, a throughput of 900 operations per second, and an Authentication Acceptance Rate (AAR) of 99.2%. The results prove that the performance is better than typical RLWE- and MLWE-based IoT authentication schemes. Thus, the proposed MRMA scheme supports a secure, lightweight authentication framework, making it suitable for IoT and post-quantum applications.

DOI
10.21203/rs.3.rs-9252526/v1

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Abstract The conventional cryptographic algorithm faces a threat due to the evolution of quantum computing algorithms. In recent days, IoT devices demand authentication techniques to ensure a perfectly secure system. Thus, to address this issue, this paper presents a Modified Ring Learning with Errors–based Mutual Authentication (MRMA) scheme tailored for resource-constrained IoT environments. The computational hardness of the RLWE problem, the proposed scheme employs polynomial-level optimizations to reduce key size and computational overhead, also preserving post-quantum security in IoT devices. To further enhance the security–efficiency trade-off, a Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) driven parameter tuning layer is introduced, formulating cryptographic parameter selection as a concern for a multi-objective optimization problem over polynomial degree, modulus, and noise distribution. Also, to improve latency and throughput, the assistance of QAOA is needed. The traditional scheme requires larger keys (512–2048 bits) and high processing time. Our performance analysis proves that the proposed MRMA scheme implements a compact 256-bit key, includes a low authentication latency of 0.0065 seconds, a throughput of 900 operations per second, and an Authentication Acceptance Rate (AAR) of 99.2%. The results prove that the performance is better than typical RLWE- and MLWE-based IoT authentication schemes. Thus, the proposed MRMA scheme supports a secure, lightweight authentication framework, making it suitable for IoT and post-quantum applications.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is now widely used in medical Internet of Things (IoT) systems. As its use grows, protecting patient data has become a major concern. The rise of quantum computing makes this challenge even more serious. In this paper, we present an adaptive and lightweight mutual authentication protocol for medical RFID systems. The protocol is based on the Ring Learning With Errors (RLWE) problem, which provides strong post-quantum security. It introduces an adaptive mechanism that adjusts RLWE parameters for tags with different security needs. This design achieves a balance between protection and resource use. To improve robustness, the protocol also includes a pseudonym update process that prevents desynchronization. We analyze its security in detail. The analysis combines a formal proof in the Random Oracle model and symbolic verification with the Scyther tool. Results show that the protocol can resist replay, man-in-the-middle, and impersonation attacks. It also preserves tag anonymity and forward secrecy. Performance tests further confirm its efficiency. On the tag side, the average computation time is only 7.67931 ms. These results suggest that the protocol is well-suited for secure and efficient authentication in resource-limited medical RFID environments under post-quantum threats.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) integrates control systems with IoT technology to enable automation and intelligent operations in industrial environments. As IIoT deployments expand, reliance on wireless communication channels increases the attack surface and exposes systems to various security and privacy threats. Moreover, the limited computational capabilities of IIoT devices and the need to preserve device anonymity introduce additional security requirements. Insufficient protection against these challenges can result in operational disruption and significant economic losses. Existing symmetric-key and hash-based schemes are lightweight but lack scalability for large IIoT deployments, whereas public-key methods provide stronger security. However, the emergence of quantum computing threatens the long-term security of such protocols, as quantum algorithms can efficiently break conventional number-theoretic cryptosystems. To address these challenges, we propose a quantum-resistant three-party authentication and key agreement (AKA) protocol for the IIoT. The ring learning with errors (RLWE)-based protocol provides quantum-safe and efficient mutual authentication and secure session key establishment between workers and devices. Comprehensive security and performance analyses demonstrate that the proposed protocol is robust against security attacks. Performance evaluations confirm lower computational and communication overhead than existing post-quantum schemes, proving its practicality for IIoT.
The data driven smart applications, utilize the IoT, Cloud Computing, AI and other digital technologies to create, curate and operate on large amounts of data to provide intelligent solutions for day-to-day problems. Security of Data in the IoT-Cloud systems has become very crucial as there are several attacks such as ransomware, data thieving, and data corruption, causing huge loss to the application users. The basic impediment in providing strong security solutions for the IoT systems, is due the resource limitations of IoT devices. Recently, there is an additional threat of quantum computing being able to break the traditional cryptographic techniques. The objective of this research is to address the bifold challenge and design a light weight quantum secure communication protocol for the IoT Cloud ecosystem. The Ring Learning With Errors (RLWE) lattice based cryptography has emerged as the most popular in the NIST PQC Standardization Program. A light weight Circular Learning Error Algorithm (CELA) has been proposed by optimizing RLWE to make it suitable for IoT-Cloud environment. The CELA inherits the advantages of quantum security and homomorphic encryption from RLWE. It is observed that CELA is light weight in terms of execution time and a slightly bigger cipher text size provides higher security as compared to RLWE. The paper also offers plausible solutions for future quantum secure cryptographic protocols.
The rapid expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems has introduced significant security challenges due to resource-constrained devices, heterogeneous network architectures, and largescale connectivity. Traditional authentication and key exchange mechanisms, primarily based on classical cryptographic algorithms such as RSA and ECC, are vulnerable to future quantum computing attacks. The emergence of quantum algorithms, particularly Shor’s algorithm, threatens the long-term confidentiality and integrity of IoT communications. This paper proposes a Quantum-Resistant Authentication and Key Exchange Protocol specifically designed for secure IoT architectures. The proposed framework integrates post-quantum cryptographic primitives, including lattice-based key exchange mechanisms and hash-based authentication schemes, optimized for low computational overhead suitable for constrained IoT devices. The protocol ensures mutual authentication, forward secrecy, and resistance against quantum adversaries while maintaining minimal communication latency. Security analysis demonstrates robustness against replay, man-in-the-middle, and key-compromise attacks. Performance evaluation shows that the proposed solution achieves a balance between quantum security strength and resource efficiency, making it suitable for next-generation IoT deployments in smart cities, healthcare systems, and industrial automation.
ABSTRACT The rapid advancement of quantum computers poses a significant threat to classical cryptographic techniques used to distributed and multi‐server environments. This paper focuses on development of quantum‐resistant framework for authenticated multi‐server networking, designed to ensure confidentiality and integrity in the presence of quantum‐capable adversaries. We have developed a practical three‐party authentication and key agreement (AKA) protocol for multi‐server environments, leveraging the Ring Learning With Errors (RLWE) problem for robust post‐quantum security. After finding weaknesses in Pursharthi and Mishra's work, such as inadequate session key verification and insider attack vulnerabilities, we designed our protocol to address real‐world threats like stolen devices, rogue central authorities, and replay attacks. It features an efficient preparation phase, a secure registration process, and a reliable mutual authentication mechanism, guarding against quantum, side‐channel, and replay attacks. Our detailed security analysis and performance tests confirm its resilience and efficiency, making it a scalable solution for applications like healthcare and IoT (Internet of Things). This protocol provides a structured framework for achieving secure and quantum‐resistant communication.
The rapid proliferation of IoT technology has brought billions of devices into play that need to operate in a variety of diverse, resource-constrained environments. Secure authentication among these devices is a critical challenge, as traditional certificate-based public key infrastructures incur heavy computation and management overhead. Moreover, recent breakthroughs in quantum computing put at risk the security of classical cryptographic algorithms commonly used in IoT systems. This paper proposes a post-quantum certificateless authentication framework designed to address the efficiency-long-term security requirements of IoT environments. The proposed framework uses lattice-based cryptography to resist quantum-enabled adversaries while eliminating the need for digital certificates. The certificateless approach evades the problem of key escrow of identity-based cryptography and simplifies the key management process. A lightweight authentication protocol, which is suitable for constrained IoT devices, is developed. Security analyses prove that our proposed framework resists common attacks such as impersonation, replay, and man-in-the-middle attacks. The performance evaluation shows that our proposed framework reduces the communication and computational overheads compared with the traditional certificatebased authentication schemes. In this way, it is appropriate for large-scale and futureproof deployments of IoT systems.