Quantum-Resistant Security for Healthcare Data: Integrating Lamport n-Times Signatures Scheme with Blockchain Technology
Sujan Das, Somnath Mondal, Shib Shankar Golder, Shrabani Sutradhar, Rajesh Bose, Haraprasad Mondal · 2024
Medical data is highly sensitive and valuable, making it a prime target for cybercriminals who increasingly seek to exploit patient health records and genetic information. While traditional encryption methods like RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) and ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) offer strong defenses against many cyber threats, they are critically vulnerable to quantum computing attacks, such as those executed using Shor's and Grover's algorithms. This vulnerability raises significant concerns about the future exposure of sensitive healthcare data, as these cryptographic systems could become obsolete in the face of quantum advancements. To address this pressing issue, we have developed a quantum-resistant security model. Our approach combines the hash-based Lamport n-time signature scheme with blockchain technology to ensure robust protection for medical data both in transit and at rest. The Lamport n-time signature scheme offers enhanced security by reducing key and signature sizes for multiple message authentications, while blockchain provides a decentralized solution that preserves data integrity. This innovation in security frameworks ensures a scalable, sustainable defense against quantum threats, safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of healthcare information in a quantum computing era.