Privacy and security of IoT : A smart home perspective

Abstract: In a world where technological progress is constant, understanding the views and experiences of users is essential. With the use of technology, there are many dangers. Issues with privacy and security are among them. This thesis deals with understanding the perception of privacy and security of smart home IoT devices. The literature review consists of understanding concepts of trust, possible ways of intrusion, and prevention and elaborating more about the Internet of Things technology and smart homes. The review also contains notes on previous findings of the user's perception. The review of the literature also connects possible ways of intrusion with the underlying IoT architecture as well as explains notions of privacy by design, compliance, and GDPR. To understand the phenomenon of privacy and security in the context of a smart home, a simple qualitative study was conducted. Sixteen participants who are part of the general public were interviewed. The collected information was analyzed using a general inductive approach, and answers were grouped into categories as suggested by Thematic Analysis. Interviews were done online and a transcript summary can be found in the last Appendix. The findings from the interviews suggest that privacy and convenience matter most to the users. Participants demonstrated a willingness to purchase if they perceived a device as something that will increase their quality of life and were willing to share data such as location but they were not willing to lose anonymity. What type of data and for what purpose was mentioned as most important. When it comes to security attacks, participants were less worried about how it might happen and more worried about what might happen to them and what are the consequences for them. In the conclusion of the study, I present advice for students and academia, device manufacturers, and service providers as well as the general public as the last main stakeholder. Since technology is not static, it would be of importance to revisit topics of privacy and security of IoT.