AnyTrust-KEM: Portfolio-Based, Threshold-Combining KEM Negotiation for IKE/QUIC with Anomaly-Aware Failover

Post-quantum KEMs present tough trade-offs (Kuznetsov et al., 2023). Rather than betting on one primitive, this design proposes a protocol-level “AnyTrust” composition: the session key is derived by hashing a threshold t-of-m of successful KEM shared secrets. If at most (t−1) are compromised, confidentiality holds; if certain KEMs intermittently fail (e.g., due to noise or active interference), the portfolio still succeeds. Integrate this into IKEv2 or QUIC/TLS handshakes (Pazienza et al., 2022) with tight CCA-security proofs under multi-KEM composition. Kuang et al. (2024) show unusually fast Homomorphic Polynomial Public Key (HPPK) KEM performance—include it as an efficiency option alongside standardized KEMs, with clear policy knobs to exclude non-standard options when needed. Critically, monitor decapsulation failure rates and timings; if they deviate from the expected profile, elevate assurance (more KEMs, stronger confirmation) per the deviation-driven idea above. Optionally, support QKD-derived entropy if available (Chen, 2025), mixing physics-based and computational security. Novelty: a principled, threshold-secure KEM portfolio with negotiated policies and anomaly-aware failover, practically addressing real-world heterogeneity in hardware, networks, and regulatory constraints. Impact: smoother PQ migrations with graceful degradation and stronger attack detection.

References:

1. Trade-offs in Post-Quantum Cryptography: A Comparative Assessment of BIKE, HQC, and Classic McEliece. Oleksandr Kuznetsov, S. Kandiy, Emanuele Frontoni, Oleksii Smirnov (2023). CQPC.
2. Benchmark Performance of Homomorphic Polynomial Public Key Cryptography for Key Encapsulation and Digital Signature Schemes. Randy Kuang, Maria Perepechaenko, Dafu Lou, Brinda Tank (2024). IACR Cryptology ePrint Archive.
3. Hybrid Schemes of NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standard Algorithms and Quantum Key Distribution for Key Exchange and Digital Signature. Abel C. H. Chen (2025).
4. Analysis of Network-level Key Exchange Protocols in the Post-Quantum Era. Andrea Pazienza, E. Lella, Pietro Noviello, Felice Vitulano (2022). 2022 IEEE 15th Workshop on Low Temperature Electronics (WOLTE).