Key-Encapsulation Mechanisms Embedded in Trusted Execution Environment: An Evaluation

As quantum-safe algorithms are increasingly implemented in security protocols used in current and emerging digital services, there is a corresponding need to map the current state of security protocols and their preparedness for the post-quantum era. This study analyzes current security recommendations and the support of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in widely used Trusted Execution Environments (TEE). We present a performance evaluation of recently selected PQC Key Encapsulation Mechanisms (KEM) algorithms by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which were embedded in the OP-TEE platform. We discuss how the incoming post-quantum KEM mechanisms impacts on mobile devices applications, focusing on integrating these algorithms within TEEs implemented on ARM's Trustzone. As result, Kyber shows up as the best alternative for RSA on this migration process with reasonable time consumption, CPU overhead, memory consumption, and security levels.