Post-Quantum Cryptography in Secure Instant Messaging Protocols

Classical cryptographic primitives such as RSA or Diffie-Hellman key exchange are based on computationally difficult mathematical problems for the solution of which no efficient algorithms are known. However, with the advent of practical quantum computers, quantum algorithms can be used to easily solve these problems and break the security of these algorithms. For this reason, post-quantum algorithms are being rapidly developed, evaluated, and optimized to resist quantum attacks in the hope that they will be used in secure instant messaging protocols such as the Signal protocol, in addition to other secure network protocols. This literature review provides an overview of efforts to develop quantum-resistant primitives for secure instant messaging protocols, with a particular focus on the Signal protocol.