Quantum Digital Signatures (QDS): A novel approach to safeguarding electronic health records

Abstract

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) form the backbone of modern healthcare, ensuring seamless access to a patient’s medical history and fostering effective patient-doctor relationships. Their digital nature, however, exposes them to myriad security threats, including unauthorized access, tampering, and fraudulent alterations. Traditional cryptographic techniques, while effective in the current digital landscape, might not stand robust against future threats, especially those posed by quantum computers. This paper introduces Quantum Digital Signatures (QDS) as a cutting-edge approach to address this burgeoning concern. QDS leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to provide an additional layer of security, making it computationally infeasible for adversaries to forge or alter signed messages, including sensitive EHR data. Unlike conventional digital signatures that depend on the presumed difficulty of certain mathematical problems, the security attributes of QDS stem from the fundamental laws of quantum physics, ensuring a higher level of integrity and authenticity. We present a comprehensive overview of the QDS protocol and its integration into current EHR systems. Our comparative analysis with existing cryptographic techniques illuminates the advantages of QDS, especially in preventing undetected alterations and ensuring non-repudiation. Practical deployment challenges, including quantum device imperfections and potential integration bottlenecks, are also addressed. The adoption of Quantum Digital Signatures in safeguarding EHRs ushers in a new era of medical data security. While the large-scale implementation of such quantum technologies is still in its infancy, proactive research and early adoption are pivotal in preparing healthcare systems for future challenges. Through this research, we advocate for the broader integration of quantum cryptographic techniques, such as QDS, to uphold the sanctity and trustworthiness of electronic medical data in the face of evolving digital threats.