A Comprehensive Survey on Pre Versus Post Quantum Security Schemes for 5G-Enabled IoT Applications
Bikramjit Choudhury, Ashlesha Hota, Mithun Karmakar, Sanchita Saha, Amitava Nag, Sukumar Nandi · IEEE Access · 2025
The proliferation of 5th generation (5G) technology has catalyzed significant advancements in various application of Internet of Things(IoT) such as Intelligent Transportation Systems, Smart Energy, Industrial IoT (IIoT), Digital Twins, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Smart Health. However, with the upcoming advent of quantum computing, conventional security methods are encountering new and significant challenges, requiring the revaluation of pre and post-quantum security measures. This study provides an in-depth analysis of security measures before and after the advent of quantum computing for intelligent IoT applications enabled by 5G-connected network. The survey thoroughly analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of conventional public key cryptography methods such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman, Secret Sharing, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), which are susceptible to quantum risks, and postquantum cryptographic methods such as lattice-based cryptography, code-based cryptography, and multivariate based techniques, which may provide protection against quantum attacks. Furthermore, we evaluate the suitability of these strategies in the context of 5G-enabled IoT deployments, taking into account the distinct requirements and obstacles presented by interconnected IoT devices. Although pre quantum public key cryptographic algorithms are still in use, but active research is going on to design and implement PQC algorithms to secure 5G IoT, while hybrid schemes have shown great promise being backward compatible with traditional cryptographic approaches at the same time bring quantum resistance. The survey offers significant insights into the latest pre and post-quantum security solutions for 5G-enabled IoT Applications. It helps in making educated decisions and implementing strong security measures in preparation for the quantum computing age.