A Harmonised Dashboard for Smart Home Device Security

Abstract

Smart homes increasingly rely on Internet-connected devices, offering convenient services yet raising significant concerns regarding the protection of personal information. As the number and variety of devices continue to grow, users face fragmented and inconsistent security, privacy, and data-management controls across different manufacturer ecosystems. Although commercial smart home applications provide centralised access, their interfaces often lack coherent structures for managing essential protection features, making it difficult for users to locate controls, understand device status, and maintain awareness of how personal data is collected, stored, and shared. This paper presents the design and evaluation of a harmonised approach to simplify and unify the user experience, via an integrated security and privacy dashboard. The dashboard provides a unified interface for managing heterogeneous smart home devices, with core functionalities structured around Security, Privacy, and Data Management to support consistent navigation and user control.  A task-based study with 16 smart-home users evaluated the dashboard against Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit applications. Participants completed scenarios involving software updates, microphone controls, reviewing and deleting voice-assistant recordings, checking camera footage, and managing location services. Performance was assessed using task completion rates, task completion time, number of clicks per task, and the System Usability Scale (SUS), alongside qualitative feedback from participants.  Results showed that participants were able to complete every task using the dashboard, whereas completion rates on commercial applications were substantially lower. Tasks were completed more quickly and in fewer steps, and the dashboard achieved an “excellent” rating on the System Usability Scale. Qualitative feedback highlighted its intuitive navigation, unified structure, and clear organisation of device-related information. Overall, the findings demonstrate that a harmonised dashboard can reduce complexity, improve user control, and support informed decision-making within smart home environments, ultimately enhancing trust and security for everyday users.