Digital signature schemes play an important role in the security of communication systems, ensuring authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation of messages. Classical digital signature schemes are widely used in communication systems but are not secure against quantum attacks, thereby necessitating the use of post-quantum cryptographic techniques. Recently, lattice-based digital signatures were proposed as efficient and quantum-resistant digital signatures. However, the lattice-based digital signatures are not effective in detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission. Quantum authentication techniques, on the other hand, are effective in detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission by utilizing the measurement disturbance principle of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we propose a hybrid quantum-classical digital signature scheme that combines the post-quantum security of lattice-based digital signatures with the capability of detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission by utilizing the quantum authentication techniques based on the entanglement principle of quantum mechanics. We discuss the system model, protocol, security, and performance evaluation of the proposed scheme in terms of computational and communication complexities. The proposed scheme is effective in the context of future communication systems that require security guarantees, such as quantum communication networks, critical infrastructures, and blockchain-based authentication systems.
Digital signature schemes play an important role in the security of communication systems, ensuring authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation of messages. Classical digital signature schemes are widely used in communication systems but are not secure against quantum attacks, thereby necessitating the use of post-quantum cryptographic techniques. Recently, lattice-based digital signatures were proposed as efficient and quantum-resistant digital signatures. However, the lattice-based digital signatures are not effective in detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission. Quantum authentication techniques, on the other hand, are effective in detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission by utilizing the measurement disturbance principle of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we propose a hybrid quantum-classical digital signature scheme that combines the post-quantum security of lattice-based digital signatures with the capability of detecting eavesdropping or interception of messages during transmission by utilizing the quantum authentication techniques based on the entanglement principle of quantum mechanics. We discuss the system model, protocol, security, and performance evaluation of the proposed scheme in terms of computational and communication complexities. The proposed scheme is effective in the context of future communication systems that require security guarantees, such as quantum communication networks, critical infrastructures, and blockchain-based authentication systems.
Cryptography enables modern-day secure communication. The advancement of quantum algorithms has made classical cryptosystems ineffective. Important data has been encrypted and verified using digital signatures and cryptography. Classical cryptography systems were on the edge of collapse when quantum algorithms were introduced, since quantum computers can solve complex problems in less time. It is important to be prepared for future threats, even if standard cryptosystems are presumably safe for the moment being because quantum computing is not yet developed. One use of quantum cryptography is quantum key distribution (QKD), which is a way to safely share encryption keys between communication parties by utilizing quantum physics. Hybrid classical-quantum methods offer protection from both classical & quantum attackers, which can help smooth the way for the change. We introduce a new way to build hybrid encryption schemes from preexisting ones. First, the paper examines classical cryptosystems vulnerability to quantum computers. Then, it investigate into different families of post-quantum cryptosystems, checks in on the NIST's post-quantum cryptography consistency process, and finally, compares the performance of algorithms using post-quantum cryptography on various platforms. Along with discussing and evaluating current methods, this paper also discusses a novel hybrid quantum cryptographic system that employs message authentication codes with enhanced lattice based cryptography.
Communication and networked systems rely heavily on cryptographic digital signatures to ensure message authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation. However, rapid advancements in quantum computing and artificial intelligence (AI) have expanded the attack surface, posing significant threats to conventional public-key schemes such as RSA, DSA, and ECDSA. Quantum algorithms undermine their underlying hardness assumptions, while AI-driven techniques enable traffic analysis, side-channel inference, and behavioral pattern recognition. This review presents a structured analytical assessment of post-quantum signature schemes and privacy-preserving authentication mechanisms to address these dual threats. It evaluates lattice-based, hash-based, and zero-knowledge proof-based signatures, as well as anonymity-enhancing schemes such as ring and group signatures. A unified analytical framework is introduced to map cryptographic schemes to quantum and AI-assisted threat models, based on parameters such as security strength, anonymity, efficiency, and applicability. The analysis shows that lattice- and hash-based schemes provide strong quantum resistance, while privacy-preserving mechanisms enhance anonymity but introduce performance trade-offs. It also identifies a gap in integrating post-quantum cryptography with AI-resilient privacy mechanisms. The findings highlight the need for unified, future-ready cryptographic designs.
The rapid development of quantum computing presents a substantial threat to traditional cryptographic algorithms, particularly those relying on mathematical problems such as integer factorization and elliptic curve operations. As a response, the cryptographic community has accelerated the design of post-quantum cryptographic schemes that can withstand attacks from both classical and quantum computers. However, many of these new schemes exhibit inherent trade-offs between performance, key sizes, and implementation complexity. To address this, we propose a novel hybrid cryptographic framework tailored for secure and efficient data transmission in future quantum-aware environments. The proposed system combines three algorithmic paradigms: a lattice-based encryption method for fast and lightweight data protection, a hash-based signature mechanism for authenticity, and a code-based key exchange method to ensure session confidentiality. This layered integration is designed to capitalize on each algorithm’s strengths while mitigating individual limitations. The system is implemented using modular components in a testbed simulating real-world deployments, and its performance is benchmarked across multiple metrics including encryption latency, signature generation time, key sizes, and throughput. Comparative results indicate that the hybrid approach outperforms monolithic schemes in critical areas such as execution time and cryptographic strength under quantum adversary models. The findings support the practicality of using multiple post-quantum primitives in tandem to build robust communication systems. This research contributes a realistic implementation and evaluation of post-quantum security models and highlights key directions for future research and standardization efforts as the global transition to quantum-safe infrastructure begins.
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.
The paper offers a novel digital signature scheme that integrates ElGamal cryptographic principles with the Short Integer Solution (SIS) problem, specifically designed to ensure post-quantum security. As quantum computers advance and present significant risks to traditional cryptographic systems, this scheme offers an interesting alternative for securing digital signatures against potential quantum threats. The scheme uses only basic secure principles. The offered approach offers key generation, where parameters and random matrices are selected, and signature generation, which involves creating signatures based on hashed messages and matrix computations. Verification ensures the authenticity and integrity of signatures. We provide experimental evaluations detailing key generation, signature creation, and verification times across different matrix dimensions and message sizes. Key generation takes between 2.5–10.2 seconds, while signature generation ranges from 0.20 to 9.30 milliseconds and verification from 0.18 to 8.90 milliseconds, depending on message size and matrix dimension. The scheme maintains a consistent signature size of 1.7 KB, independent of message length due to a hash-and-sign strategy. These results demonstrate that the scheme balances post-quantum security with practical performance, especially in high-security contexts. A comparison with traditional ElGamal encryption reveals the trade-offs between security and efficiency. While the SIS-based scheme delivers enhanced protection against quantum threats, it also entails increased computational complexity and larger signature sizes compared to conventional schemes. Overall, our proposed digital signature scheme stands as an excellent option for safe communications in a post-quantum world, representing a crucial step in protecting the authenticity and integrity of digital exchanges against changing technological risks. We believe that as quantum computing continues to develop, research into robust cryptographic alternatives will become increasingly important for safeguarding sensitive information across various sectors.
Quantum computing threatens traditional cryptographic systems based on integer factorization and discrete logarithm problems. This paper proposes a hybrid secure communication framework integrating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) for authentication. The BB84 protocol is used for quantum key generation, while CRYSTALS-Dilithium signatures secure the classical communication channel. A Python-based simulator models photon transmission, Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER), intercept-resend attacks, and authentication verification. Results show that QBER increases proportionally with eavesdropping probability, enabling reliable attack detection. The integration of QKD secrecy with PQC authentication ensures both confidentiality and integrity. Performance evaluation demonstrates that the additional latency introduced by PQC authentication remains within acceptable limits. The proposed hybrid framework provides a scalable and quantum-resistant solution suitable for next-generation secure communication systems.