A Context-Aware IoT Security Framework for Elderly Care

Abstract

The use of IoT networks in healthcare has led to the adoption of smart home environments for users in their place of abode and one such example is smart home for elderly care. Sensors and devices in the network capture data that can be stored or transmitted and this can lead to security issues. The security solutions for securing the IoT network are usually applied blanket-wise. On the other hand, context-aware security approaches consider contextual data when applying security solutions. In this paper, we identified critical weaknesses in popular data transmission protocols as well as the interactions of devices communicating with them in a simulated environment. To mitigate the identified vulnerabilities, a Context-Aware IoT Security Framework was developed that dynamically adjusts security measures based on environmental and contextual factors in smart home environments for elderly care. By adopting a user-centric approach, the proposed framework minimizes the risk of unauthorized access, data manipulation, and network-based attacks, and ensures that the solution aligns with regulatory standards such as GDPR and HIPAA. The evaluation of the proposed framework demonstrated encouraging improvements to the protection and robustness of the system.