DAME-IoV: Dynamic Adaptive Multi-Edge authentication protocol with post-quantum security for Internet of Vehicles

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) faces increasing security challenges with the advent of quantum computing, which threatens traditional cryptographic protocols while demanding efficient authentication mechanisms for largescale vehicle networks. This paper presents DAME-IoV, a Dynamic Adaptive Multi-Edge authentication protocol that provides post-quantum security while leveraging edge computing capabilities for enhanced performance. Our framework introduces three key innovations: (1) a lightweight post-quantum authentication scheme optimized for vehicular networks, featuring lattice-based cryptography with dynamic parameter adjustment; (2) an adaptive security mechanism that dynamically adjusts protection levels based on real-time threat assessment and resource availability; and (3) an efficient edge-assisted processing architecture that enables scalable authentication through intelligent caching and batch verification. We provide formal security proofs demonstrating the protocol's resistance to quantum attacks while maintaining conditional privacy preservation. Extensive experimental evaluation on a prototype implementation shows that DAME-IoV achieves 45% lower computational overhead, 35% reduced memory footprint, and 40% better scaling efficiency compared to existing solutions. Performance analysis under various network conditions demonstrates that our framework maintains authentication latency below 50 ms while supporting over 1000 concurrent vehicle requests. The proposed solution successfully addresses the critical challenges of post-quantum security, scalability, and efficiency in IoV environments, providing a practical foundation for securing next-generation vehicular networks.