An Internet of Things (IoT) Security Assessment for Households

Abstract

IoT is becoming a common term. More consumers are purchasing and installing household IoT devices such as thermostats, security cameras, and lighting solutions. These so-called smart home appliances supposedly make our lives easier, safer, and more sustainable. However, the benefits come with risks, especially in cybersecurity and privacy. As more IoT hosts connect to a home network, the possibility of potential security breaches also increases. The more hosts in a network, the more opportunities for attackers, which is why users should pay attention to security vulnerabilities and address them as much as possible. In this context, self-assessment of how well a household is doing with IoT security is of great use. This paper proposes an easy-to-use and intuitive assessment tool to realize this idea.