A Comprehensive Survey of Post-Quantum Cryptography and Its Implications

Cryptography has been in existence since before the advent of computers. It encompasses a variety of techniques designed to secure information, whether it is at rest or in transit. Symmetric key cryptography includes symmetric keys, which serve the dual purpose of encrypting and decoding communications. Descriptions have been provided for public/private key pairs, also known as asymmetric keys. Such pairs may be categorized as secret/public key pairs, where the private key remains confidential, while the public key is accessible to all relevant parties for communication and information exchange. The realm of private and public key cryptography is diverse. Recently, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) endorsed four post-quantum cryptography systems. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of cryptography, examining the implications of intricate cryptographic systems on our existing networks.