IoThreats

In recent years, smart homes and smart environments have gained increased importance, as modern sensing and communication technology is increasingly applied in everyday technical solutions. Research and development activities in the fields of the internet of things (IoT), smart grids, connected cars, smart industries, Active and Assisted Living (AAL), telemedicine as well as other technologies lead to a broad spectrum of potential vulnerable systems. Devices of everyday life, like stoves, which appear to be unable to threaten public safety and security, can be misused to shut down the energy supply of a whole region. Vehicles can be taken over and remotely controlled, enabling their use in terroristic acts.

The multitude of novel attack and threat scenarios is faced by police forces and forensics, which have only have limited financial and human resources to tackle these emerging challenges. The project IoThreats addresses this problem, aiming to compensate this discrepancy through exploring the topic for the concerned public agency, which is the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), by providing it with advanced knowledge for police forces and forensics. To this end, current studies, trends and technologies from different sectors of smart environments with a special focus on the Austrian market are collected and prepared for the public agency, enabling a specific collection of requirements and needs. Building on these explorations, technical solutions will be evaluated in order to, identify potential attack and threat scenarios to be illustrated, for example in a risk matrix. At the same time the scenarios will be analysed for implications of criminal prosecution. Subsequently, the scenarios will be prioritized by the public agency and together suggestions for future handling of IoT and potential needed legal changes will be summarized in an overall strategy for the BMI.

In parallel, the IoThreats project, which is an international pioneer project, will employ efficient communication and dissemination activities on project outcomes, in order to address further international safety and security agencies, experts of various fields, as well as researchers and developers. The project not only aims to stimulate a scientific discussion but also a public discourse to sensitize the public as to smart devices and security implications.