Hall 6 · Exhibit 3 1 min
Developer Migration Considerations
PQC is not a drop-in replacement
Bottleneck shiftsCPU → network bandwidth
WatchDB schemas · MTU · IoT RAM · key hierarchy
TLS handshakes10–15 KB (vs. 2–3 KB classical)
MitigationKEMTLS replaces handshake signatures
fundamentally changes the physical properties of security systems. Migration requires careful planning across every layer of the stack.
- •Database schemas: VARCHAR(255) for keys must accommodate 1,000+ byte keys
- •Network fragmentation: keys may exceed 1,500-byte MTU, requiring packet fragmentation
- •IoT constraints: 8–16 KB RAM devices struggle with 1,200-byte keys and 2.4 KB signatures
- •Key hierarchy trap: at rest is safe, but the asymmetric layers wrapping those keys are exposed
- •CPU → network shift: lattice math is faster than on modern CPUs; bandwidth becomes the bottleneck
- •Embedded systems: Satellites and smart grids with 20-year lifespans need quantum-safe chips now
- •TLS inflation: Certificate chains inflate handshakes to 10–15 KB (vs. 2–3 KB classical)
- •KEMTLS mitigation: Replaces handshake signatures with KEMs, significantly reducing overhead
- •Cryptographic inventory: Map all crypto usage before migrating — combine automated discovery with developer reporting
- •PQC guardrails: Block new quantum-vulnerable keys in build systems and update internal guidelines
Key Takeaways
- Database schemas, network MTU limits, IoT RAM constraints, and key hierarchies all need updating
- The bottleneck shifts from CPU (RSA's big-integer math) to network bandwidth (larger PQC keys)
- KEMTLS is a promising mitigation for TLS handshake inflation