An End-User Development Approach to Secure Smart Environments

Given the spread of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, in several contexts there is a growing need for laypeople to configure their smart devices. Task Automation Systems (TASs) have emerged as tools to simplify the definition of rules for personalizing the behavior of such devices. However, one aspect often neglected by current TASs, which is instead typical of IoT technologies, relates to the security and privacy threats exposed by the “connected” devices. This paper tries to address this problem and illustrates a user-centered design that eventually led to identify a visual paradigm that facilitates the end users in understanding and controlling security and privacy threats.