Key Encapsulation Mechanism-Based Integrated Encryption Scheme (KEM-IES)

2026-05-11

AI Summary

This work addresses the threat posed by quantum computing to traditional Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) by proposing KEM-IES, a novel post-quantum secure integrated encryption scheme. KEM-IES uniquely integrates the NIST 2025-standardized lightweight authenticated encryption algorithm Ascon with a post-quantum key encapsulation mechanism (PQC-KEM), establishing an encryption architecture that achieves both quantum resistance and high efficiency. Built upon the ECIES framework, the scheme is implemented and optimized on the Raspberry Pi 4 embedded platform. Experimental results demonstrate that KEM-IES and its Ascon-based variant significantly outperform conventional ECIES in performance while maintaining strong security guarantees, making them particularly well-suited for resource-constrained environments.

Abstract

The Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) is widely regarded as a practical method and has been adopted by multiple standards. However, the advancement of quantum computing technologies poses potential security risks to ECIES. Therefore, this study proposes a Key Encapsulation Mechanism-Based Integrated Encryption Scheme (KEM-IES), which enhances resistance to quantum attacks by incorporating a Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)-based Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM). Furthermore, the study integrates the Ascon algorithm, released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in August 2025, to further improve computational efficiency and enable applicability to embedded systems. The proposed KEM-IES and its Ascon-based variant are implemented on a Raspberry Pi 4, and evaluations are conducted to compare the performance of ECIES and KEM-IES.

Problem

• ECIES
• quantum computing
• security risk
• post-quantum cryptography
• key encapsulation mechanism

Innovation

• KEM-IES
• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• Key Encapsulation Mechanism
• Ascon
• Embedded Systems