By name: quantum-safe-pqc-deployment description: "Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) production deployment methodology. Hybrid-by-default architecture bridging classical and post-quantum security for production systems. Covers ML-KEM/ML-DSA migration, TLS integration, and incremental deployment strategies." metadata: arxiv_id: "2605.17061" published: "2026-05-15"
Quantum-Safe PQC Deployment
Core Concepts
Bridging the gap between PQC standardization and production deployment requires hybrid-by-default architectures that support both classical and post-quantum cryptography simultaneously. This enables incremental migration without breaking existing systems.
Methodology
Hybrid-by-Default Architecture
- Dual-stack TLS: Support both classical (ECDHE) and PQC (ML-KEM) key exchange simultaneously
- Signature chaining: Use both classical (ECDSA) and PQC (ML-DSA) signatures
- Fallback mechanisms: Graceful degradation when PQC is not supported by peers
Deployment Strategy
- Inventory: Catalog all cryptographic dependencies in production systems
- Prioritize: Focus on long-lived secrets and high-value assets first
- Test: Validate PQC compatibility in staging environments
- Deploy: Roll out hybrid mode with monitoring
- Transition: Phase out classical algorithms as PQC adoption matures
Activation Keywords
- post-quantum cryptography deployment
- PQC production
- quantum-safe architecture
- ML-KEM ML-DSA migration
- hybrid TLS
- 后量子密码部署
Pitfalls
- PQC key sizes are significantly larger (ML-KEM-768: ~1KB vs ECDHE ~32 bytes)
- ML-DSA signatures are ~2.5KB vs ECDSA ~64 bytes - impacts bandwidth
- Not all libraries support hybrid mode natively
- Performance overhead from dual computation