A Post-Quantum-Resilient Iot Device Authentication Cybersecurity Framework Using AI-Driven Anomaly Detection and Blockchain

Abstract

The rapid increase in the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices also means that big security issues are coming, especially with the soon-to-be-possible capability of quantum computers to break existing cryptography. Existing methods for authenticating devices in small, low-power IoT networks are too dependent on a central trusted authority, overlook too many unusual and harmful behaviors, and are potentially vulnerable to post-quantum attacks. This paper presents PQ-IoTGuard, a novel hybrid authentication architecture that leverages lattice-based post-quantum cryptography, edge-based lightweight artificial intelligence, and permissioned blockchain to provide quantum-secure, decentralized trust for general IoT networks. By shifting behavioral analysis to edge gateways and employing lattice-based key encapsulation and digital signatures, the framework enables quantum-secure security with only light computational overhead. Experimental assessment carried out in network simulation environments shows that PQ-IoTGuard provides authentication latency of less than 50 milliseconds for networks up to 5,000 devices. It preserves the accuracy of anomaly detection at more than 98% for impersonation attacks and Sybil attacks, and induces a computational overhead of less than 15% compared to traditional PKI systems. Ablation analysis verifies that the combination of post-quantum cryptography, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology provides synergistic security benefits that cannot be realized by any of these technologies separately. The resilience of the framework against quantum-capable attackers, combined with its scalability and deployability, provides a solid ground for future-proof IoT security infrastructure.