Post-Quantum Network Security:McEliece and Niederreiter Cryptosystems Analysis and Education Issues

Abstract

The paper is aimed at analyzing of the classical McEliece and Niederreiter cryptosystems as well as theQuasi-Cyclic MDPC McEliece cipher in a context of the post-quantum network security. Theoretical foundations ofthe aforesaid cryptographic schemes are considered. The characteristics of the given cryptosystems and otherasymmetric encryption schemes are analyzed. The cipher metrics, which are considered in the paper, includecryptographic strength, performance, public key size and length of ciphertext. The binary Goppa codes are describedin the context of their role for the cryptanalytic resistance of the classic McEliece and Niederreiter schemes. Thecrucial advantages and drawbacks of the aforementioned cryptosystems are analyzed. The prospects for applicationof these ciphers to the network security protocols are outlined. The investigations, which are aimed at finding waysto reduce the public key sizes and improve the energy efficiency of the given ciphers, are briefly described. A neweducational module “Introduction to Post-Quantum Cryptography” is presented