Access control in cloud-based computing environments is in essence a security mechanism enabling decisions as to which subjects may access which protected resources and under what operations. The rapid emergence of quantum computing threatens the hardness assumptions underlying classical digital signatures and public‑key infrastructures. The authors of this work recently proposed a novel quantum ice-cream model to demonstrate the basic concepts of quantum cryptography in a simple and intuitive manner. In this work we present a novel quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme by using our proposed quantum ice-cream model. Our quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme maps two non-commuting measurement bases to the ‘flavor’ and ‘shape’ attributes of the quantum ice-cream model. It achieves information-theoretic security against forgery and repudiation via threshold tests and natively supports signer–verifier–arbiter workflow that is suitable for cloud access control. Although our scheme is presented theoretically, a rigorous mathematical analysis has been carried out using Hoeffding-type inequalities. We also discuss the implementation of our proposed scheme by using weak-coherent BB84-like optics with decoy states. This article demonstrates that our proposed quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme preserves the practicality of memoryless quantum digital signature schemes while aligning with cloud authorization requirements. Furthermore, we draw analogies between the design of our proposed QIDS and robust control theory to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on system stability and security.
Access control in cloud-based computing environments is in essence a security mechanism enabling decisions as to which subjects may access which protected resources and under what operations. The rapid emergence of quantum computing threatens the hardness assumptions underlying classical digital signatures and public‑key infrastructures. The authors of this work recently proposed a novel quantum ice-cream model to demonstrate the basic concepts of quantum cryptography in a simple and intuitive manner. In this work we present a novel quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme by using our proposed quantum ice-cream model. Our quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme maps two non-commuting measurement bases to the ‘flavor’ and ‘shape’ attributes of the quantum ice-cream model. It achieves information-theoretic security against forgery and repudiation via threshold tests and natively supports signer–verifier–arbiter workflow that is suitable for cloud access control. Although our scheme is presented theoretically, a rigorous mathematical analysis has been carried out using Hoeffding-type inequalities. We also discuss the implementation of our proposed scheme by using weak-coherent BB84-like optics with decoy states. This article demonstrates that our proposed quantum ice-cream digital signature scheme preserves the practicality of memoryless quantum digital signature schemes while aligning with cloud authorization requirements. Furthermore, we draw analogies between the design of our proposed QIDS and robust control theory to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on system stability and security.
Quantum computing poses a critical threat to existing cryptographic primitives, rendering current access control mechanisms in cloud-native infrastructures vulnerable to compromise. This paper introduces a comprehensive quantum-resilient access control framework specifically engineered for distributed, containerized, and zero-trust environments. The proposed system integrates post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) primitives—specifically lattice-based key encapsulation (Kyber) and digital signatures (Dilithium)—with a hybrid key exchange protocol to maintain crypto-agility and backward compatibility. We design a secure token issuance and verification process employing PQC-based authentication, ensuring resistance to both classical and quantum adversaries. A prototype implementation demonstrates that our hybrid PQC approach incurs a moderate computational overhead of approximately 10–30\% while preserving horizontal scalability and interoperability across Kubernetes clusters. Security analysis under the post-quantum adversary model confirms resistance to key compromise, replay, and forgery attacks. The results highlight that quantum-resilient access control protocols can be efficiently integrated into modern cloud infrastructures without sacrificing scalability, performance, or operational flexibility.
Cloud computing provides its clients with on-demand resources, such as storage and performance. The idea behind cloud computing is sharing of resources. With growth of cloud computing, the risks of security and privacy are arising. Also, the cloud resources are not secure against quantum computers, as quantum computing threatens the best security controls implemented today, that include ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography), RSA, DSA (Digital Signature Algorithm) and ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm). Fortunately, there are quantum-safe digital signatures called Hash-based Signatures, which can also protect integrity, authentication and privacy on the cloud. In this work, a hash-based digital signature scheme called WOTS is implemented to avoid security risks imposed by quantum computing on cloud computing. The implementation is carried out in CloudSim simulator. Apart from achieving quantum safety, the results show that our proposed solution is computationally cost effective.
The emergence of quantum computing marks a revolutionary turning point in the evolution of information technology and cybersecurity. While quantum technologies promise extraordinary computational capabilities capable of solving highly complex scientific and industrial problems, they simultaneously introduce unprecedented risks to the cryptographic foundations that secure today’s digital world. Cloud computing, which has become the backbone of modern digital infrastructure, is particularly vulnerable to these evolving threats. As organizations increasingly rely on cloud platforms for data storage, communication, financial transactions, healthcare systems, research, and critical infrastructure management, ensuring long-term cryptographic security has become an urgent global priority. This book, Post-Quantum Security in Cloud Computing: Challenges and Solutions, has been developed to provide a comprehensive exploration of the rapidly evolving intersection between quantum computing, cloud security, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC). The primary objective of this work is to present both foundational concepts and advanced research perspectives that help readers understand the implications of quantum threats on existing cloud ecosystems and the emerging solutions designed to mitigate them. The chapters in this book collectively examine the vulnerabilities of classical cryptographic systems against quantum algorithms such as Shor’s Algorithm and Grover’s Algorithm, which threaten widely deployed security mechanisms including RSA, Diffie–Hellman, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography. The book further introduces the theoretical and practical foundations of post-quantum cryptography, covering lattice-based, code-based, multivariate, and hash-based cryptographic schemes that are being developed as quantum-resistant alternatives. Beyond theoretical concepts, this book emphasizes practical implementation challenges in cloud environments, including scalability, performance overhead, key management, hybrid cryptographic architectures, secure identity infrastructures, and deployment strategies across distributed and multi-cloud systems. Special attention has also been given to experimental evaluations, benchmarking methodologies, and emerging research directions that will shape the future of quantum-safe cloud security. This work is intended for students, academic researchers, cybersecurity professionals, cloud architects, and policymakers who seek a structured and research-oriented understanding of post-quantum cloud security. By combining theoretical insights with practical perspectives, the book aims to serve as a valuable reference for understanding current developments and preparing for the transition toward quantum-resilient computing infrastructures. The successful completion of this book would not have been possible without the contributions of the global research community working tirelessly in the fields of cryptography, quantum computing, cloud security, and distributed systems. Their groundbreaking research and continuous innovation have inspired many of the ideas discussed throughout this work. It is our sincere hope that this book will contribute meaningfully to the ongoing efforts toward building secure, scalable, and future-ready cloud systems capable of withstanding the challenges of the quantum era.
Quantum cryptographic protocols offer transformative potential for enhancing cloud security by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics. These protocols ensure unbreakable encryption through quantum key distribution (QKD), where security is derived from the fundamental properties of quantum particles. Unlike classical encryption, which relies on computational complexity, quantum cryptography guarantees data protection by preventing unauthorized access, as any attempt to intercept quantum keys alters their state and can be immediately detected. This paper explores the application of quantum cryptographic protocols in securing cloud environments, addressing vulnerabilities posed by classical encryption techniques in the face of growing computational power. Key protocols, such as BB84 and E91, are analyzed for their potential in securing cloud infrastructure, offering enhanced confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of data. Additionally, this study highlights the integration of quantum cryptography with modern cloud architectures, overcoming challenges such as scalability and implementation cost. By employing quantum-resistant strategies, these protocols provide a robust defense against emerging threats from quantum computing, making them an essential solution for future-proof cloud security. The findings demonstrate that quantum cryptography, combined with advanced cloud security practices, can ensure secure, scalable, and resilient cloud infrastructures capable of protecting sensitive data in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape.
Public key cryptography plays a pivotal role in maintaining digital security and privacy, with its foundations built on the hardness of certain mathematical problems. However, the emergence of quantum computing threatens the security of current cryptographic systems, making the adoption of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) an urgent necessity. Digital signature schemes are essential components in secure communications, providing authentication, non-repudiation, and data integrity. This paper examines the state of post-quantum digital signature schemes across various cryptographic approaches, including lattice-based, code-based, multivariate polynomial-based, hash-based, symmetric-key-based, and isogeny-based systems, alongside advancements in Multi-Party Computation in the Head (MPC-in-the-head) schemes. The paper then explores application-specific signatures such as blind, undeniable, threshold, chameleon, aggregate, and ring signatures, explaining their main use cases and the existing post-quantum cryptographic classifications that support these constructions individually. Software implementations of selected prominent PQC digital signature schemes were carried out, and their performance was systematically analysed using metrics such as bandwidth consumption, latency, and computational efficiency. These results provide key observations regarding the suitability of different schemes for both resource-constrained and high-performance environments. Subsequently, a detailed literature review of implementations on embedded and hardware platforms is presented, focusing on ARM-based devices and FPGA accelerators to evaluate deployment feasibility beyond general-purpose processors. Based on the software and implementation-level findings, a comparative analysis across software, embedded, and hardware platforms is conducted to highlight architectural influences on performance, scalability, and practicality. Furthermore the cryptanalytic attacks on post-quantum digital signature schemes across various PQC classifications are examined in this paper, taking into account both classical and quantum adversarial models. To evaluate realistic security constraints, implementation-oriented vulnerabilities such as side-channel and fault-based attacks are also examined. In addition, the applicability of post-quantum digital signature schemes within TLS, IoT, and related practical deployment scenarios is analysed. The study also discusses possible directions for further investigation, focusing on the requirement for effective and expandable PQC systems that can satisfy changing cybersecurity requirements. In order to protect sensitive data in the digital era, this study emphasizes the need for implementing quantum-secure systems by fusing theoretical understandings with real-world applications.
The high growth rate of cloud storage companies has reshaped the digital management of data among individuals and companies. Nevertheless, the future of quantum computing spells a major danger to classical cryptographic algorithms like the RSA and the ECC which forms the backbone to the current cloud security infrastructures. In order to mitigate this new risk, this paper will present a new Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)-based security architecture, customized to cloud storage application. The model combines lattice-based key encapsulation models and hash-based authentication models to provide long-term data confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation. The basic uniqueness of the offered model is its hybrid cryptographic implementation, which will have quantum-resilient key exchange, and a hardened hash-based signature verification as a single workflow of cloud security. This assimilation improves resistance to quantum-based attacks and retains viable computational efficiency. The evaluation of performance shows that the framework can be used in large-scale and distributed cloud systems since it has a well-balanced trade-off between high quantum resilience and controllable processing overheads. The suggested PQC scheme will create moderate overhead and high future-proof security, in comparison to the traditional crypto-systems. The paper portrays the strategic value of shifting towards quantum-resistant encryption systems to guarantee long-term data security in the post-quantum future.