Integrating Post-Quantum Cryptography in Transport Layer Security 1.3 for Iot: a Performance Analysis on Resource-Constrained Hardware
Lokesh B S, Narasimha Kaulgud · 2025
The emergence of quantum computing presents a critical threat to classical cryptographic schemes such as Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), which underpin protocols such as TLS 1.3. This study proposes and evaluates an optimized integration of the CRYSTALS-Kyber algorithm within the Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 protocol for resource-constrained IoT devices. The objective is to achieve quantum-resistant security while maintaining practical performance on embedded hardware. Using the Open Quantum Safe library and OpenSSL, the implementation is bench marked on Raspberry Pi and ARM Cortex platforms under real-world constraints. Key findings demonstrate that Kyber512 achieves a favorable balance between performance and post-quantum security, with low handshake latency, peak memory usage under 22 KB, and energy consumption as low as 0.36 mJ per handshake. A hybrid implementation combining Kyber with Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral (ECDHE) ensures backward compatibility while enabling 128-256 bit quantum-safe security. Empirical validation confirms constanttime execution, side-channel resistance ($p>0.05$over 100 K traces), and robust operation under packet loss. These results establish CRYSTALS-Kyber as a viable candidate for postquantum secure communication in constrained IoT environments.