6G networks will require quantum-secure cryptography deployed across core infrastructure, edge nodes, resource-constrained IoT devices. Although post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) algorithms have been standardized by NIST, their practical deployability in bandwidth and latency limited wireless systems remains unclear. This paper presents a practical evaluation of NIST selected PQC schemes, including ML-KEM (Kyber), ML-DSA (Dilithium), and Falcon. Benchmarks conducted with OpenSSL and the OQS provider on heterogeneous platforms show that while computational performance is acceptable, ciphertext and signature size expansion significantly impact handshake reliability and bandwidth efficiency, particularly at the network edge. The results highlight key system-level trade-offs and motivate the need for PQC optimization and deployment-aware design for future quantum-secure 6G networks.

翻译：6G网络需要在核心基础设施、边缘节点及资源受限的物联网设备中部署量子安全密码技术。尽管后量子密码（PQC）算法已由NIST标准化，但其在带宽和时延受限的无线系统中的实际可部署性仍不明确。本文对NIST选定的PQC方案（包括ML-KEM（Kyber）、ML-DSA（Dilithium）和Falcon）进行了实际评估。基于OpenSSL和OQS提供商在异构平台上进行的基准测试表明：虽计算性能可接受，但密文与签名的尺寸膨胀会显著影响握手可靠性和带宽效率，尤其在网络边缘场景中。实验结果凸显了关键的系统级权衡因素，并论证了面向未来量子安全6G网络开展PQC优化及部署感知型设计的必要性。