Strengthening security of Mobile, IOT and Edge applications in Post-Quantum era using Quantum Random Number Generators

Abstract

Mobile devices have become a gold mine for attackers because of the increased and rather unplanned boom in digital activity. Recently there is more demand for interconnected IOT and edge computing services as well. All this increased the value and amount of data in these devices. With the increase in sensitivity of data available in these devices, we see more and more powerful attacks every day for breaking the existing cryptographic systems. Advancements in Quantum Technology is another potential threat for existing cryptographic standards. Random Number Generators (RNG) are a primitive tool required for securing these devices and computations, starting from their role in generating good and unpredictable encryption keys. Today, the vast majority of Cryptographic implementations make use of Pseudo-Random Number Generators which are prone to existing classical and Quantum attacks. Careful choice of True Random Number Generators is the best way to go. In this paper, we did an in-depth investigation on the different key generation techniques used in existing cryptographic schemes and the impact of quantum computers on their security. Then, we give an overview on the Random Numbers and different types of Random Number Generators. Next, we justify that the Quantum Random Number Generators based on Quantum Mechanics possess the desirable True Randomness and why we need quantum-safe key generation that can be an immediate step in strengthening security against both classical and quantum attacks. Finally, we introduce different types of QRNG implementations along with their challenges, drawbacks and suitability for Mobile, IOT and Edge applications.