A Quantum-Safe Implementation of the NETCONF protocol

The Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) is a network management protocol for devices that facilitates the retrieval and uploading of configuration information using YANG data models in a manner closely aligned with their native operational behaviour. IETF describes and standardizes this protocol, covering the transport and security considerations. This paper explores the integration of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technologies into the NETCONF protocol by adapting an open-source implementation to support PQC enabled Transport Layer Security (TLS).