Even though many IoT devices for smart homes encrypt their traffic, a passive network observer – e.g. an ISP, or a neighborhood WiFi eavesdropper – can infer consumer behavior and sensitive details about users from IoT device-associated traffic rate metadata.
Examining IoT smart home devices
A group of researchers from the Computer Science Department of Princeton University have proven this fact by setting up smart home laboratory with a passive network tap, and examining the traffic rates of four IoT smart home devices: a Sense sleep monitor, a Nest Cam Indoor security camera, a WeMo smart outlet, and an Amazon Echo smart speaker.
