Practical Framework for Transitioning to PQC: Balancing Security and Hardware Constraints

Transitioning to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is essential for securing software, data, and communications against emerging quantum threats. One major challenge that device manufacturers face now is the limited availability of true PQC-ready chips. While some vendors offer PQC capability, many rely on software implementations, which limit performance. Designing and manufacturing chips with dedicated PQC accelerators for enhanced performance will take more time. Additionally, many existing devices have long life spans, making their replacement costly and logistically challenging.

This paper proposes a migration framework that addresses important issues such as how to capitalize on existing hardware capabilities, bootstrap devices for PQC-based software updates, and enable secure PQC key provisioning. By adopting this framework, organizations can mitigate immediate quantum-related security risks while laying the foundation for a fully secure post-quantum cryptographic future. This approach ensures cost-effective and achievable integration without requiring immediate full-scale hardware replacements, balancing practicality with security in the PQC transition