Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Quantum-Resilient IoT Communication Framework Using Post-Quantum Cryptography and Blockchain for Secure Edge Devices

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Save article
View saved research
Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Electrical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The rapid evolution of quantum computing poses a critical threat to classical cryptographic systems, particularly in the Internet of Things (IoT), where lightweight, real-time, and secure communication is essential. Existing frameworks such as STarEdgeChain, THASSA, and PQES have explored various quantum-resilient or blockchain-integrated security mechanisms; however, they suffer from limitations including high latency, dependence on trusted hardware, lack of full post-quantum coverage, and limited validation on constrained devices. Addressing these gaps, this study proposes PQShield-IoT, a novel, fully integrated framework that ensures end-to-end post-quantum secure communication for resource-constrained IoT environments. The framework combines NIST-standard Kyber512 for key encapsulation and Dilithium2 for digital signatures with a lightweight Hyperledger Fabric-based permissioned blockchain for decentralized identity and access management. Implemented in Contiki-NG and NS-3, PQShield-IoT incorporates an adaptive cryptographic optimization layer that utilizes algorithmic pruning and hardware acceleration to achieve energy-efficient performance. The proposed model demonstrated an accuracy improvement of 28.5% in session integrity and achieved throughput gains of 33.3%, operating at 20 operations per second with an average latency of 50 ms, outperforming prior works tested under similar simulation constraints. Tested on a 15-node IoT network simulating IEEE 802.15.4 using dynamic attack models. PQShield-IoT provides an architecture that is scalable, tamper-evident, and quantum-resilient. These initial findings provide an exciting avenue for research in deployable, auditable, and forward-secure communication across next-generation critical IoT infrastructures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from €37.37 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (India)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 2
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 3
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 4
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 5
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 6
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 7
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 8
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 9
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 10
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 11
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 12
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 13
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 14
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 15
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

Data Availability

Data is available with the corresponding author can be received upon request.

References

  • Achouri Y, Djellab R, Hamouid K, Berkani AS (2024) Security Considerations for Internet of Things (IoT): Exploring Quantum Computing Solutions. In: 2024 1st International Conference on Innovative and Intelligent Information Technologies (IC3IT), 1–6

  • Adeniyi AE, Jimoh RG, Awotunde JB (2024) A systematic review on elliptic curve cryptography algorithm for internet of things: categorization, application areas, and security. Comput Electr Eng 118:109330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akande B (2025) The impact of quantum computing on encryption: how quantum computers can break current encryption methods, such as RSA and ECC, and what this means for data security, Researchgate

  • Anbarkhan SH (2024) Securing IoT networks: A post-quantum blockchain and deep learning approach for enhanced cyber defense. Int J Safety Sec Engi 14(6):1689–1698. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsse.140604

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bozhko J, Hanna Y, Harrilal-Parchment R, Tonyali S, Akkaya K (2023) Performance evaluation of quantum-resistant TLS for consumer IoT devices. In: 2023 IEEE 20th Consumer Communications & Networking Conference (CCNC), 230–235

  • Canavese D, Mannella L, Regano L, Basile C (2024) Security at the edge for resource-limited IoT devices. Sensors 24(2):590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao Y, Li J, Chao K, Xiao J, Lei G (2024) Blockchain meets generative behavior steganography: a novel covert communication framework for secure Iot edge computing. Chin J Electron 33(4):886–898

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castiglione A, Esposito JG, Loia V, Nappi M, Pero C, Polsinelli M (2024) Integrating post-quantum cryptography and blockchain to secure low-cost IoT devices. IEEE Trans Industrial Inform 21(2):1674–1683

  • Dhal S, Wyatt BM, Mahanta S, Bhattarai N, Sharma S, Rout T, Saud P, Acharya BS (2024) Internet of things (IoT) in digital agriculture: an overview. Agron J 116(3):1144–1163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dhar S, Khare A, Dwivedi AD, Singh R (2024) Securing IoT devices: a novel approach using blockchain and quantum cryptography. Internet of Things 25:101019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elkhodr M (2025) An AI-driven framework for integrated security and privacy in internet of things using quantum-resistant blockchain. Future Internet 17(6):246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erukala SB, Tokmakov D, Perumalla A, Kaluri R, Bekyarova-Tokmakova A, Mileva N, Lubomirov S (2025) A secure end-to-end communication framework for cooperative IoT networks using hybrid blockchain system. Sci Rep 15(1):11077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghashghaei FR, Ahmed Y, Elmrabit N, Yousefi M (2024) Enhancing the security of classical communication with post-quantum authenticated-encryption schemes for the quantum key distribution. Computers 13(7):163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanna Y, Bozhko J, Tonyali S, Harrilal-Parchment R, Cebe M, Akkaya K (2025) A comprehensive and realistic performance evaluation of post-quantum security for consumer IoT devices. Internet Things. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iot.2025.101650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hemamalini V, Mishra AK, Tyagi AK, Kakulapati V (2024) Artificial intelligence–blockchain-enabled–internet of things-based cloud applications for next-generation society. Automated Secure Comput Next-Generation Syst 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394213948.ch4

  • Ismail NA, Khadra SA, Attiya GM, Abdulrahman SES (2025) Optimizing SIKE for blockchain-based IoT ecosystems with resource constraints. J Supercomput 81(3):1–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James P (2025) A survey of classical and modern cryptographic techniques for secure communication, Researchgate.

  • Khan M, Hatami M, Zhao W, Chen Y (2024) A novel trusted hardware-based scalable security framework for IoT edge devices. Discover Internet Things 4(1):4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kizza JM (2024) Internet of things (iot): Growth, challenges, and security. Guide to computer network security. Springer, pp 557–573

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kuang Y, Wu Q, Chen R, Liu X (2025) Blockchain based lightweight authentication scheme for internet of things using lattice encryption algorithm. Comput Stand Interfaces. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csi.2025.103981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minhas N (2024) Post-Quantum authentication scheme for IoT security in smart cities, Preprint in Researchsquare

  • Mollah MB, Azad MAK, Zhang Y (2024) Secure targeted message dissemination in IoT using blockchain enabled edge computing. IEEE Trans Consum Electron. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCE.2024.3436825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen H, Huda S, Nogami Y, Nguyen TT (2025) Security in post-quantum era: a comprehensive survey on lattice-based algorithms. IEEE Access. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3571307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prajapat S, Kumar N, Das AK, Kumar P, Ali R (2025) Quantum-safe blockchain-assisted data encryption protocol for internet of things networks. Cluster Comput 28(1):5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rathi B, Thapaswi S, Kambhampati M, Jain V, Akshay P, Pandey TN, Pradhan SK (2025) Realizing the potential of internet of things (IoT) in industrial applications. Discover Internet Things 5(1):1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar P, Nag A (2024) Lattice-based device-to-device authentication and key exchange protocol for IoT system. Int J Inf Technol 16(7):4167–4179

    Google Scholar 

  • Sasikumar A, Ravi L, Devarajan M, Selvalakshmi A, Almaktoom AT, Almazyad AS, Xiong G, Mohamed AW (2024) Blockchain-assisted hierarchical attribute-based encryption scheme for secure information sharing in industrial internet of things. IEEE Access 12:12586–12601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Shahril Ismail E (2025) A Review on the Advances, Applications, and Future Prospects of Post-Quantum Cryptography in Blockchain and IoT. IEEE Access 13:112962–112977

  • Wang M, Long G-L (2024) Lattice-based access authentication scheme for quantum communication networks. Sci China Inf Sci 67(12):222501

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Zhao Y (2024) Enhanced elliptic curve cryptography (EECC). Procedia Comput Sci 247:1324–1330

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The authors declare that they received no funding for the work on this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sri Krishna Engineering College Padappai, Chennai, 601301, India

    Sivanesan Narayanan & S. N. Sheela

  2. Department of Data Science and Business Systems, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India

    K. S. Archana

  3. Department of CSE, Vels Institute of Science and Technology & Advanced Studies(VISTAS), Chennai, 600117, India

    A. Rajesh

  4. Department of ECE, Sri Krishna Institute of Technology, Padappai, Chennai, 601301, India

    N. Parthiban

  5. Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Sri Krishna Engineering College Padappai, Chennai, 601301, India

    Vijay Srinivasan

Authors
  1. Sivanesan Narayanan
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. S. Archana
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Rajesh
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. Parthiban
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vijay Srinivasan
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. N. Sheela
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Dr.N.Sivanesan—Conceptualization, Formulization, Data Analysis, Validation and Drafting. Dr. K.S. Archana—Data Analysis, Validation and editing. Dr. A. Rajesh—Data Validation and review of analysis and draft validation. Dr. N.Parthiban—Formulization and analysis. Mr. S. Vijay—Analysis, Drafting and Editing. Dr.S.N.Sheela—Data Analysis and drafting.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sivanesan Narayanan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the work carried out for this paper does not have any conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Narayanan, S., Archana, K.S., Rajesh, A. et al. Quantum-Resilient IoT Communication Framework Using Post-Quantum Cryptography and Blockchain for Secure Edge Devices. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Electr Eng 50, 203–221 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40998-025-01002-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Version of record:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40998-025-01002-1

Keywords

Profiles

  1. Vijay Srinivasan View author profile