An In-Depth Analysis of Security and Privacy Concerns in Smart Home IoT Devices Through Expert User Interviews

The integration of smart home IoT devices into households promises to improve users’ living experiences and increase convenience, but raises manifold privacy and security concerns. This study conducts 11 interviews with expert users in Germany, employing qualitative content analysis to unveil prevalent privacy and security concerns. The objective is to survey smart home usage behavior and user knowledge to identify the need for solutions that educate users on potential threats, and aid them in securing their smart home. The findings illuminate the evolving dynamics of user perspectives within the rapidly advancing smart home landscape of IoT devices and the need for open-source solutions that provide recommendations and data flow control in smart home devices. Although knowledgeable in general, it can be observed that even expert users lack awareness of information flows in smart homes, calling for more education and the creation of software and hardware-based solutions to mitigate threats in the future.