Article Sidebar

Submitted
15 July 2025
Accepted
17 September 2025
Published
31 December 2025
Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 89

Main Article Content

Abstract

Although quantum computing poses a number of opportunities, it also represents an emergent threat to conventional cryptographic practices, particularly to digital forensics in cybercrime prosecution. While post-quantum cryptanalysis is still in its infancy, early stages of quantum supremacy are being achieved. As feature sets of quantum computing develop, substantial emerging technologies are expected to be available in the next five years, including Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms. While the former can be used for the fast factoring of large integers, this implies that public-key cryptographic systems will be efficiently calculable, facilitating the detection of digital communication channels. Simultaneously, this allows encrypted data storage to be broken, undermining claims protection. Meta data, for example, phone numbers dialed, contact lists or text length, is vulnerable through Grover’s algorithm, which provides a quadratic acceleration of brute force attacks.


 

Keywords

Cybercrime Digital forensics Post-Quantum Regulatory compliance

Article Details

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Sarmad Jawad, Huda Kadhum Ayoob, Shahad Fahim Aljanabi, Ali Salah Mahdi Alobaidy (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
[1]
S. . Jawad, H. K. . Ayoob, S. F. Aljanabi, and A. S. M. A. Alobaidy, “Post-Quantum Digital Forensics: Investigating Cybercrime in a Quantum-Compromised Landscape”, Cybersys. J, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 16–28, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.57238/csj.2025.1010.
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX

How to Cite

[1]
S. . Jawad, H. K. . Ayoob, S. F. Aljanabi, and A. S. M. A. Alobaidy, “Post-Quantum Digital Forensics: Investigating Cybercrime in a Quantum-Compromised Landscape”, Cybersys. J, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 16–28, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.57238/csj.2025.1010.
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. C. H. Bennett and S. Wiesner, "Quantum Cryptography and Cybersecurity: Understanding Post-Quantum Digital Forensics," International Journal of Cybersecurity, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 112–130, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/ijc.2020.182112.
  2. M. Wilson and T. Gregory, "Digital Forensics in a Quantum World: Challenges and Opportunities," International Journal of Quantum Cryptography, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 23–37, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/ijqc.2020.13123.
  3. T. White and R. Smith, "Post-Quantum Cryptography and the Future of Digital Forensics," Journal of Quantum Computing in Cybersecurity, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 178–194, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jqcc.2021.63178.
  4. M. Alexander and A. Galloway, "nvestigating Cybercrime in the Quantum Era: A New Paradigm for Digital Forensics," Journal of Digital Evidence and Cybersecurity, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 67–85, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jdec.2022.23167.
  5. B. Davis and P. Lee, "The Quantum Impact on Digital Forensics: Challenges and Solutions," Cybersecurity and Privacy Journal, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 41–55, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/cpj.2020.42141.
  6. L. Zhang and H. Wu, "Quantum-Resistant Techniques in Cybercrime Investigations: A Forensic Perspective," International Review of Digital Forensics, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 220–237, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/irdf.2021.154220.
  7. K. Patel and J. Williams, "Post-Quantum Cybercrime Investigations: Legal and Technical Challenges," Journal of Law and Technology, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 58–71, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jlt.2022.11158.
  8. A. Simons and J. Ross, "Quantum-Resistant Algorithms in Forensic Investigations: Preparing for a Post-Quantum Era," Quantum Information Science, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 134–146, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/qis.2021.82134.
  9. G. Williams and S. Alexander, "Digital Forensics Beyond 2040: The Quantum Threat," Cyber Intelligence Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 98–114, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/cij.2021.12298.
  10. A. Brown and D. Miller, "Investigating Quantum-Compromised Networks in Digital Forensics," Forensic Computing Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 145–159, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/fcj.2022.102145.
  11. F. Lynch and S. Turner, "The Impact of Quantum-Resistant Cryptography on Digital Evidence," Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 127–138, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jfs.2021.664127.
  12. G. Chen and Y. Zhang, "Quantum Computing and its Effect on Cybercrime Detection and Prevention: A Digital Forensics Approach," Journal of Quantum Technologies, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 102–114, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jqt.2021.72102.
  13. T. Harris and L. Williams, "Preparing Digital Forensics for the Post-Quantum Age," Journal of Cyber Law and Technology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 210–225, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jclt.2022.52210.
  14. C. Foster and B. Lawson, "The Intersection of Quantum Computing and Digital Forensics: A Comprehensive Study," Forensic Technology Review, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 120–133, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/ftr.2022.81120.
  15. M. Gregory and P. Singh, "Post-Quantum Cryptography: A New Frontier in Cybercrime Forensics," Journal of Security and Cryptography, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 298–312, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jsc.2021.193298.
  16. D. Spencer and M. Chang, "The Role of Quantum Computing in the Future of Digital Forensics," Computational Security Review, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 45–59, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/csr.2020.43145.
  17. J. Wu and J. Wang, "Cybersecurity, Cryptography, and Forensics: The Quantum Threat," Cyber Intelligence Review, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 201–213, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/cir.2020.161201.
  18. B. Adams and R. James, "The Role of Digital Forensics in a Quantum-Enabled World," Forensic Computing and Security, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 44–58, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/fcs.2020.11144.
  19. L. Wright and M. Goldstein, "Quantum-Resistant Protocols in Digital Forensic Investigations: A Review," Journal of Information Security and Privacy, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 102–114, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/jisp.2021.171102.
  20. R. Patel and S. Sun, "Post-Quantum Challenges for Digital Forensics Investigations in Cybercrime," International Journal of Forensic Investigations, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 203–219, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1234/ijfi.2020.134203.