Secure remote access to home automation networks

Recent developments in the field of home automation have shifted the technology away from the realms of research and into the homes of consumers. Together with the rapid adoption of the Internet, the `anywhere and anytime´ accessible home environment has been brought closer to a reality. Exciting as this prospect might be, significant security challenges arise from making the home environment accessible to anyone with Internet access. Hence, providing sufficient security to offer a reasonable level of protection for homeowner´s privacy and safety is crucial for successful adoption of this technology. This study examines the security issues raised by the `anywhere and anytime´ accessible home environment. The existing approaches for addressing these security challenges and their weaknesses are reviewed. This study concludes with the proposal, implementation and evaluation of an improved approach for providing remote access security for the home environment.