A Lightweight Post-Quantum Cryptographic Protocol for Resource-Constrained IoT Edge Devices

Abstract

In this letter, a lightweight post-quantum cryptographic protocol specifically designed for resource-constrained IoT edge devices is presented, addressing the vulnerability of conventional encryption to quantum computing attacks. The proposed protocol employs a modified NTRU-based algorithm with reduced parameter sizes, achieving switch production in 12.4 ms, encryption in 8.2 ms, and total energy consumption of 4.2 mJ per exchange - 63% lower than standard post-quantum protocols. Experimental results demonstrate resistance against quantum attacks exceeding 10¹⁸ processes while maintaining response times under 50 ms, with a compression mechanism reducing message size to 186 bytes. The protocol achieves an optimal balance between post-quantum security and operational efficiency, offering a practical solution for narrow-bandwidth, battery-limited IoT environments.