On Implementing Hybrid Post-Quantum End-to-End Encryption

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Gandhi, Aditi, Das, Aakankshya, Cherukuri, Aswani Kumar
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Gandhi, Aditi
Das, Aakankshya
Cherukuri, Aswani Kumar
author_facet Gandhi, Aditi
Das, Aakankshya
Cherukuri, Aswani Kumar
contents The emergence of quantum computing poses a fundamental threat to current public key cryptographic systems. This threat is necessitating a transition to quantum resistant cryptographic alternatives in all the applications. In this work, we present the implementation of a practical hybrid end-to-end encryption system that combines classical and post-quantum cryptographic primitives to achieve both security and efficiency. Our system employs CRYSTALS-Kyber, a NIST-standardized lattice-based key encapsulation mechanism, for quantum-safe key exchange, coupled with AES-256-GCM for efficient authenticated symmetric encryption and SHA-256 for deterministic key derivation. The architecture follows a zero-trust model where a relay server facilitates communication without accessing plaintext messages or cryptographic keys. All encryption and decryption operations occur exclusively at client endpoints. The system demonstrates that NIST standardized post-quantum cryptography can be effectively integrated into practical messaging systems with acceptable performance characteristics, offering protection against both classical and quantum adversaries. As our focus is on implementation rather than on novelty, we also provide an open-source implementation to facilitate reproducibility and further research in post quantum secure communication systems.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_14926
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On Implementing Hybrid Post-Quantum End-to-End Encryption
Gandhi, Aditi
Das, Aakankshya
Cherukuri, Aswani Kumar
Cryptography and Security
The emergence of quantum computing poses a fundamental threat to current public key cryptographic systems. This threat is necessitating a transition to quantum resistant cryptographic alternatives in all the applications. In this work, we present the implementation of a practical hybrid end-to-end encryption system that combines classical and post-quantum cryptographic primitives to achieve both security and efficiency. Our system employs CRYSTALS-Kyber, a NIST-standardized lattice-based key encapsulation mechanism, for quantum-safe key exchange, coupled with AES-256-GCM for efficient authenticated symmetric encryption and SHA-256 for deterministic key derivation. The architecture follows a zero-trust model where a relay server facilitates communication without accessing plaintext messages or cryptographic keys. All encryption and decryption operations occur exclusively at client endpoints. The system demonstrates that NIST standardized post-quantum cryptography can be effectively integrated into practical messaging systems with acceptable performance characteristics, offering protection against both classical and quantum adversaries. As our focus is on implementation rather than on novelty, we also provide an open-source implementation to facilitate reproducibility and further research in post quantum secure communication systems.
title On Implementing Hybrid Post-Quantum End-to-End Encryption
topic Cryptography and Security
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.14926