Literature survey of existing work in NIST standardized post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms and OpenVPN:: Conducting a thorough literature survey will involve review of the NIST post-quantum cryptography standardization landscape and understanding their impact on the TLS [TLSv1.3] protocol. The survey objective is to determine an effective method for integrating post-quantum KEM and digital signatures with TLS, enabling their utilization within OpenVPN.

Explore ways to modify OpenSSL to include PQC algorithms for key exchange and digital signature: This phase will involve investigation of methods to integrate PQC algorithms into the OpenSSL library, a fundamental component of many cryptographic systems including OpenVPN. This exploration seeks to identify feasible approaches for incorporating PQC based key exchange and digital signature schemes within OpenSSL to enable quantum-safe VPN capabilities.

Integrate the modified OpenSSL with OpenVPN: Once suitable modifications to OpenSSL have been identified and implemented, the next step will be to integrate the modified OpenSS library with OpenVPN. This integration process would involve adapting OpenVPN existing protocols and mechanisms to leverage the newly integrated PQC algorithms for key exchange and digital signature, ensuring compatibility and functionality.

Testing and validation of modified VPN (quantum-safe VPN) in the client-server architecture: Following the integration, thorough testing and validation of the quantum-safe VPN solution will be undertaken by the student. This phase will involve deploying the modified VPN in a client-server architecture, conducting comprehensive testing to assess security, performance, and interoperability aspects.

Performance benchmarking and comparative analysis of quantum-safe VPN against the standard version of OpenVPN: Finally, the performance of the quantum-safe VPN would be benchmarked and compared against traditional VPN solutions. Key metrics such as latency, throughput, and resource utilization will be evaluated under various conditions to gauge the efficacy of the quantum-safe enhancements. Comparative analysis aims to highlight the advantages and trade-offs of adopting a quantum-safe approach in VPN technologies.