Toward Quantum-Safe 6G: Experimental Evaluation of Post-Quantum Cryptography Techniques

2026-05-07

AI Summary

This study systematically evaluates the practical deployment feasibility of NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptographic algorithms—ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and Falcon—in 6G edge networks, with a focus on performance bottlenecks under bandwidth- and latency-constrained conditions. Leveraging the OpenSSL and Open Quantum Safe (OQS) frameworks, we conduct benchmarking of Kyber, Dilithium, and Falcon across diverse heterogeneous hardware platforms, providing the first empirical insights into how their computational overhead and key/signature size inflation impact handshake success rates and bandwidth efficiency. Our results demonstrate that while computational costs remain manageable, the substantial size expansion significantly degrades communication efficiency in edge environments, thereby underscoring the critical importance of deployment-oriented post-quantum cryptographic design for realizing quantum-safe 6G communications.

Abstract

6G networks will require quantum-secure cryptography deployed across core infrastructure, edge nodes, resource-constrained IoT devices. Although post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms have been standardized by NIST, their practical deployability in bandwidth and latency limited wireless systems remains unclear. This paper presents a practical evaluation of NIST selected PQC schemes, including ML-KEM (Kyber), ML-DSA (Dilithium), and Falcon. Benchmarks conducted with OpenSSL and the OQS provider on heterogeneous platforms show that while computational performance is acceptable, ciphertext and signature size expansion significantly impact handshake reliability and bandwidth efficiency, particularly at the network edge. The results highlight key system-level trade-offs and motivate the need for PQC optimization and deployment-aware design for future quantum-secure 6G networks.

Problem

• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• 6G networks
• quantum-safe
• bandwidth efficiency
• handshake reliability

Innovation

• Post-Quantum Cryptography
• 6G Networks
• Performance Evaluation
• ML-KEM
• ML-DSA