The emergence of quantum computing challenges the security of current cryptographic standards, mobilizing investigation and development of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) schemes. We consider a unified approach for pre-quantum-proofing cryptographic infrastructure. It attempts to overcome these short comings and propose hybrid integration, optimized algorithm for resource constraint environment and secure migration. We focus on side-channel resistance, forward secrecy, and performance overhead in real-world application scenarios. We propose a common metric to evaluate quantum robustness. The goal of this work is to bridge the gap between theoretical PQC and scalable, enterprise-quality solutions.
The emergence of quantum computing challenges the security of current cryptographic standards, mobilizing investigation and development of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) schemes. We consider a unified approach for pre-quantum-proofing cryptographic infrastructure. It attempts to overcome these short comings and propose hybrid integration, optimized algorithm for resource constraint environment and secure migration. We focus on side-channel resistance, forward secrecy, and performance overhead in real-world application scenarios. We propose a common metric to evaluate quantum robustness. The goal of this work is to bridge the gap between theoretical PQC and scalable, enterprise-quality solutions.
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is a rapidly developing field that addresses the potential threat quantum computers pose to the security of current cryptographic algorithms. With the rapid advancement of quantum computing technologies, it has become imperative to identify and standardize new cryptographic techniques that can withstand attacks from quantum computers. This paper explores the motivation behind PQC and provides an overview of the experimental research conducted in the field. It highlights the vulnerabilities of traditional cryptographic algorithms, such as RSA and ECC, to quantum attacks and emphasizes the need for transitioning to quantum-resistant alternatives. The experiments conducted in the PQC domain encompass the evaluation and analysis of candidate algorithms submitted to the NIST PQC competition. These experiments involve comprehensive security assessments, performance evaluations, and code audits to ensure the suitability and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in real-world scenarios. This paper provides guidelines for organizations and practitioners adopting PQC. It discusses considerations for selecting and implementing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, including security levels, algorithmic characteristics, performance tradeoffs, and integration challenges. It also outlines the importance of a smooth transition from classical to post-quantum cryptographic systems and highlights the need for standardization efforts to ensure interoperability and compatibility.
The advance of quantum computing poses significant risks to traditional cryptographic systems, including RSA and ECC, due to algorithms such as Shor's, prompting an urgent need for robust post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions. This paper presents a systematic review of PQC algorithms, encompassing lattice-based, code-based, multivariate polynomial, hash-based, and supersingular isogeny-based cryptography. By evaluating recent publications and NIST standardization efforts, we assess these approaches in terms of quantum resistance, computational efficiency, scalability, and implementation challenges. Lattice-based schemes, notably CRYSTALS-Kyber, excel in quantum-secure encryption and performance, whereas codebased systems like McEliece are hindered by large key sizes. Hash-based signatures, such as SPHINCS+, and isogeny-based protocols, including SIDH, provide promising alternatives but require further optimization to reduce computational overhead. Our analysis highlights the potential of hybrid PQC methods and lightweight hardware implementations for securing emerging domains like IoT, blockchain, and financial systems. The review serves as a foundational resource for researchers and practitioners, advocating the adoption of quantum-resistant cryptography to preserve data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity in the quantum era.
This thesis investigates the current state of Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) in the industry, with a particular focus on its practical deployment, integration challenges, and performance implications.The study combines a structured analysis of academic literature, standardization efforts, and industry guidance with an experimental evaluation of PQC integration in widely used security protocols. The analysis shows that, while significant progress has been made in the standardization of quantum-resistant algorithms such as ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and SLH-DSA, real-world adoption remains in an early and transitional phase. Organizations primarily focus on evaluation and pilot implementations, as deployment is constrained by interoperability issues, implementation maturity, and the complexity of migrating existing cryptographic infrastructures.To complement the conceptual analysis, experimental measurements were conducted for TLS, SSH, and IPsec to evaluate the performance impact of hybrid post-quantum cryptographic mechanisms. The results indicate that performance overhead is not uniform across components. In particular, post-quantum signature schemes introduce significant computational and network overhead, mainly due to increased key and certificate sizes. In contrast, hybrid key exchange mechanisms show only moderate performance impact across all evaluated protocols.The findings highlight that the primary challenge of PQC adoption lies not in algorithm design but in practical integration and large-scale migration. Hybrid cryptographic approaches emerge as the most viable strategy for enabling a gradual transition, balancing improved security against quantum threats with operational feasibility.Overall, this thesis demonstrates that PQC is transitioning from a theoretical research field to a practical engineering challenge, with significant implications for the future design of secure communication systems.
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.
The rapid advancement of quantum computing poses a critical threat to classical cryptographic schemes that secure modern distributed systems. As the deployment of distributed infrastructures—including blockchains, cloud-native applications, and edge networks—continues to grow, there is an urgent need to transition towards quantum-resistant security mechanisms. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms and their applicability in distributed system architectures. We analyze the impact of quantum threats on key components of distributed systems such as communication protocols, identity management, data integrity, and consensus mechanisms. Furthermore, we evaluate current NIST-standardized PQC algorithms in terms of computational efficiency, scalability, and integration overhead within distributed environments. Challenges in key management, performance trade-offs, and implementation considerations are discussed. Finally, we propose best practices and future directions for secure, quantum-resilient distributed systems.
As artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly underpin critical applications in healthcare, finance, defense, and infrastructure, ensuring their security has become paramount. However, the rapid advancement of quantum computing poses a significant threat to classical cryptographic schemes that currently safeguard these systems. Quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s threaten to undermine the confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of data and models that AI systems depend on. In this context, Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) has emerged as a crucial area of research aimed at developing cryptographic algorithms that are secure against both classical and quantum adversaries. This paper investigates the intersection of quantum computing threats and AI system vulnerabilities, highlighting how current security mechanisms may fail in a post-quantum era. We explore various categories of PQC—including lattice-based, hash-based, and multivariate polynomial cryptography—and evaluate their applicability to securing AI systems, particularly in scenarios such as model distribution, federated learning, data encryption, and communication in AI-enabled edge and IoT environments. Through analysis of emerging use cases and proposed architectures, the paper outlines how PQC can be integrated into the AI lifecycle to mitigate quantum-era threats. It also identifies key challenges such as computational overhead, integration complexity, and standardization gaps. The study concludes by outlining future research opportunities, including the development of efficient PQC protocols tailored to AI workloads, the creation of quantum-resilient AI pipelines, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to secure AI’s future.