Cost-Benefit Framework for Secure Smart Installations

The Internet of Things (IoT) has continued to proliferate in virtually every industry. These devices, which allow organizations to collect, transmit, and analyze data at an unprecedented scale, are appealing to domain experts seeking to improve efficiency and functionality. Due to the knowledge gap between domain experts, who possess intricate knowledge about the underlying infrastructure, and cybersecurity personnel, who are cognizant of the cybersecurity implications, such devices are often implemented insecurely. This paper introduces an interview framework designed to elicit the costs and benefits of introducing IoT devices into physical environments. The proposed interview framework is intended for use by domain experts without a cybersecurity background so that they can understand the risks introduced by smart installations and options for managing these risks. We apply the framework to four smart installation deployments involving additive manufacturing, smart buildings, and virtual reality environments. These initial findings help evaluate the suitability of the approach and demonstrate its potential value in securing smart installations.