Operationalizing the Next-Generation Security Triad: AI Security, PQC, and Zero Trust in Federal Compliance

The rapid evolution of the global threat landscape has necessitated a fundamental shift in the architectural foundations of federal cybersecurity. The emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQCs), sophisticated adversarial machine learning techniques, and the failure of perimeter-based defense models have rendered traditional frameworks insufficient. This paper presents the Next-Generation Security Triad—an integrated operational framework unifying post-quantum cryptography (PQC), Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), and AI security—as a modernization substrate for federal compliance. Unlike prior conceptual integration efforts, this work delivers standards-aligned, modular overlays with explicit control mappings, quantitative benchmark criteria for each pillar, and reproducible pilot-ready artifacts enabling immediate federal adoption. The framework addresses the synchronization problem facing agencies managing these initiatives as independent compliance silos with distinct funding streams, timelines, and specialized workforces. Through a substrate-based architecture comprising Cryptographic Services Infrastructure, Identity and Access Management Fabric, Telemetry and Analytics Pipeline, and Policy Orchestration Engine, the triad establishes interoperable services enabling coordinated progress across all three security domains while satisfying NIST and DoD compliance requirements.