Performance Evaluation of ML-DSA–Based Post-Quantum Authentication in IoT Healthcare Using Compression Optimisations

Sathish Kumar, Sylesh (2025) Performance Evaluation of ML-DSA–Based Post-Quantum Authentication in IoT Healthcare Using Compression Optimisations. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The rapid development of quantum computing poses a risk of compromising the classic algorithms in cryptography including the RSA and the ECC, and exposing connected systems, including the Internet of Things (IoT) to mass data theft and harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks. To address this issue, the project deploys and validates the ML-DSA-44, a NIST-recommended post-quantum digital signature algorithm, as part of a simulated IoT environment, consisting of sensor, gateway, and verification layers. The paper also includes data and certificate compression based on Zlib algorithm to minimize the transmission overhead and energy consumption. Experimental comparisons between payloads ranging between 200-5000 KB indicated that ML-dSA-44, at the lowest CPU and memory consumption, achieves steady rates of signing and verification ( 5-7 ms ) and Zlib compression lowers the overall transmission energy and latency by more than 20 percent. The findings affirm that the integration of the PQC can be performed in modern IoT platforms like ESP32 and nRF52840 without affecting performance by providing high quantum resistance. Theoretically, this work is a contribution to the field as it confirms the ability of lightweight PQC schemes to co-exist with compression-based optimizations, and that the gap between security and scalability is closed. In practice, it can be used to perform secure, low-energy, bandwidth-efficient authentication that is appropriate to healthcare and critical IoT systems. Future efforts will be directed at implementing these optimizations to ultra-constrained micro-controllers and testing interoperability with future NIST PQC standards to be used globally.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:	Name Email Gyamfi, Eric UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > Computer software > Computer Security T Technology > T Technology (General) > Information Technology > Computer software > Computer Security R Medicine > Healthcare Industry T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering > Telecommunications > Computer networks > Internet of things Q Science > QA Mathematics > Electronic computers. Computer science > Computer Systems > Computers > Electronic data processing > Quantum computing T Technology > T Technology (General) > Information Technology > Electronic computers. Computer science > Computer Systems > Computers > Electronic data processing > Quantum computing
Divisions:	School of Computing > Master of Science in Cyber Security
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	04 Sep 2026 10:15
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2026 10:15
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9827

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