Every Household Needs a “Digital Chimney Sweep”– Insights From Johannes Kinder

At this year’s ACNS conference (June 23–26 in Munich), MCML Associate Johannes Kinder emphasized the growing security risks posed by smart home devices. From toothbrushes to robot vacuums, many Internet of Things (IoT) devices transmit data without proper encryption or updates, leaving users vulnerable.

In his interview with LMU, Kinder outlined two major challenges: manufacturers rarely maintain devices after sale, and consumers are often unaware of the need for regular updates and network separation.

To address this, he recommends:

• Choosing devices with long-term update policies
• Prioritizing end-to-end encryption
• Using separate Wi-Fi networks for IoT devices
• Introducing a “digital chimney sweep” — a minimal-intrusion micro-patching system for outdated but still-in-use devices

As part of the ForDaySec project, Kinder and his team are developing tools to automatically analyze firmware, detect vulnerabilities, and deploy targeted patches — aiming to make smart homes safer by design.