Jonatan Rassekhnia, a researcher affiliated with the University of Waterloo, has conducted a study that evaluates the practical implications of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) on communication protocols used in the energy sector, particularly for Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices. The research, published in the journal “IEEE Internet of Things Journal,” introduces the Quantum Encryption Resilience Score (QERS) to assess the efficiency and security of MQTT, HTTP, and HTTPS protocols under PQC constraints.
The study addresses a critical challenge in the energy industry: the integration of PQC into resource-constrained devices, which introduces significant computational and communication overhead. Rassekhnia’s work provides a framework for evaluating the performance of different communication protocols when implementing PQC, which is essential for securing energy systems against future quantum computing threats.
The research involved experimental measurements using an ESP32-C6 client and an ARM-based Raspberry Pi CM4 server. Key metrics such as latency, CPU utilization, received signal strength indicator (RSSI), energy consumption, key size, and TLS handshake overhead were assessed under realistic operating conditions. These metrics were then integrated into normalized scores—Basic, Tuned, and Fusion—enabling a systematic comparison of protocol efficiency and security resilience.
The findings indicate that MQTT offers the highest efficiency under PQC constraints, making it a suitable choice for energy systems where resource optimization is crucial. On the other hand, HTTPS achieves the highest security-weighted resilience, albeit at the cost of increased latency and resource consumption. This trade-off is particularly relevant for industrial control systems and critical infrastructure in the energy sector, where both security and performance are paramount.
The proposed QERS framework supports informed protocol selection and migration planning for PQC-enabled IoT and IIoT deployments. This is vital for energy companies looking to future-proof their systems against quantum computing threats while maintaining operational efficiency. The research provides a practical tool for energy sector stakeholders to evaluate and implement PQC solutions effectively.
In summary, Rassekhnia’s work offers valuable insights into the practical applications of PQC in the energy industry, highlighting the importance of balancing security and efficiency in IoT and IIoT systems. The QERS framework serves as a guide for energy companies to navigate the complexities of PQC implementation, ensuring robust and resilient communication protocols for the future.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.