An AUTHENTICATION AND DATA TRANSMISSION SECURIY SOLUTION AGAINST QUANTUM AND MAN-IN-THE-MIDDLE ATTACKS

Abstract

Secure key exchange mechanisms remain a critical prerequisite for ensuring authentication and security in client-server connections. Traditional data encryption techniques based on PKI architecture are no longer an absolutely secure solution for key exchange and data transmission over networks, especially with the advent of quantum computers. This paper analyzes limitations and quantum attack risks in key exchange protocols based on public-key cryptosystems such as Diffie-Hellman. It then proposes a key exchange solution following an AES encryption pipeline model, incorporating an authenticated modified Diffie-Hellman scheme combined with steganography. The approach is capable of resisting man-in-the-middle attacks and mitigating security risks posed by quantum computing, thereby reducing the likelihood of information leakage or forgery and enhancing the safety of authentication and data transmission processes in client-server applications. The study also provides an overview of the performance and practical deployability of the solution based on experimental results.