Efficiency Analysis of NIST-Standardized Post-Quantum Cryptographic Algorithms for Digital Signatures in Various Environments

Abstract

The advent of quantum computing presents a significant threat to the security of asymmetric cryptographic algorithms, necessitating the adoption of new cryptographic mechanisms resilient to quantum-based attacks. This need is particularly critical for applications that rely exclusively on public-key cryptography, such as digital signatures. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the performance of various post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, focusing specifically on NIST-standardized digital signature algorithms—SPHINCS+ and Dilithium—and their practical implementations. The study evaluates these algorithms across different programming languages to identify optimal environments for diverse applications. Comparative analyses with the widely used RSA algorithm reveal that the computational cost of adopting post-quantum cryptographic systems is relatively low. Notably, some post-quantum algorithms demonstrate performance advantages over classical RSA in specific scenarios.