Threats and Privacy Breaches Against Internet of Things- and Smart Home Users

Abstract: With more parts of our lives going digital than ever before, more parts of our lives are also endangered. Not enough research and studies are done on users and their usage of Internet of Things and Smart Homes, which makes them vulnerable to several risks and attacks. However, users are to some extent responsible for their own information and how they choose to protect themselves. If a user for example uses weak or the same passwords on accounts, they are exposed to attacks such as eavesdropping, masquerading and denial of service attacks among others. This thesis aims to research users, what responsibilities they have and what attacks they are exposed to as well as how exposed the users are when using Internet of Things and Smart Homes. It also aims to find out if higher knowledge about attacks and security breaches could affect users’ usage of Internet of Things. By conducting a questionnaire where Internet of Things users are asked and questioned about their habits, the results show that users tend to be irresponsible when connected. They use weak passwords and share them with others, they do not read manuals and security instructions and they take their security for granted and instead put it in the hands of the companies offering Internet of Things products and systems. However, the results from the questionnaire also shows that users are willing to adapt themselves, by both being willing to pay more for security but also by changing their habits online.