A SM3 Hash-Based Post-Quantum Signature Scheme and Its Application to Food Source Authentication

With the increasing demand of consumers for food safety, the application of Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture is more and more extensive, especially the use of technologies such as QR codes and sensors for food information traceability. However, the Internet of Things still faces challenges in ensuring the authenticity of food data transmission and the integrity of food anti-counterfeiting authentication, especially the traditional digital signature algorithm that the Internet of Things relies on is vulnerable to the security threat brought by future quantum computers. In order to solve this problem, we propose a domestic replacement solution for the post-quantum digital signature algorithm SPHINCS-α(an improvement of the standardized post-quantum digital signature scheme SPHINCS+), and use the chinese national standard cryptographic hash function Shang Mi 3 (SM3) to replace its underlying hash function. Finally, we conducted experiments, gave the benchmark test results under three security parameters, and compared the performance with the original scheme using SHA256 and Shake256 hash function. The results prove the feasibility of our method, although there is a small rate drop, but in exchange for a more secure domestic hash function. It provides strong support for the early deployment of post-quantum cryptography algorithm in the Internet of Things environment of sustainable agriculture and industry, and ensures the integrity of the Internet of Things data in the practice of sustainable agriculture.