DEF-CRYPT-Q: a quantum-enhanced hybrid encryption framework for privacy-preserving distributed defense communications

Area of Science:

• Cybersecurity and Cryptography
• Defense Communication Systems
• Quantum Computing Impact

Background:

• Modern defense communication is increasingly distributed, AI-enabled, and multi-domain.
• Existing cryptographic infrastructures face vulnerabilities from quantum computing and resource constraints.
• Traditional public-key algorithms (RSA, ECC) are susceptible to quantum attacks, while lightweight ciphers struggle with advanced threats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose DEF-CRYPT-Q (Defense Cryptographic Quantum-Enhanced Privacy-Preserving Hybrid Framework).
• To establish a unified, quantum-resilient, and privacy-preserving security architecture for heterogeneous defense settings.
• To address vulnerabilities in distributed defense communications against quantum computing and cyber-warfare.

Main Methods:

• Developed a hybrid framework with four synergistic elements.
• Incorporated a Context-Aware Lightweight Defense Encryption (CALDE) module for constrained devices (wearables, UAVs, sensors).
• Integrated a Quantum-Resistant Cryptographic Layer (QRCL) using lattice-based post-quantum primitives (CRYSTALS-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium).

Main Results:

• Experimental assessment showed reduced encryption latency (14.83 ms) and bandwidth overhead (13.9%) compared to classical and naive PQC methods.
• The framework demonstrated limited computational costs on constrained platforms and high integrity.
• Achieved high quantum resistance (0.92 score), mission adaptability (0.95), and low residual risk (<0.1).

Conclusions:

• DEF-CRYPT-Q is a scalable and prospective cryptographic paradigm for modernizing defense.
• The framework effectively secures distributed defense communication data against classical and quantum adversarial models.
• It is suitable for latency-sensitive defense communications, balancing security, performance, and resource efficiency.