Institute for Information Systems Engineering (CIISE), Concordia University / Institut d’ingénierie des systèmes d’information de l’Université Concordia

Published purpose

According to the World Economic Forum, 70% of seniors are now online. Many Canadian seniors track their medical conditions with remote monitoring health devices. Internet of Things (IoT) devices that provide services such as GPS tracking, automatic fall detection, as well as many other medical alert solutions are readily available in the Canadian market that focus on the elderly population and their caregivers. Hundreds of mobile apps, specifically designed for the elderly and their care givers are available on different app stores. However, very little is known about the costs of using these devices or applications in terms of a new source for privacy leakage and security/safety risks. This project examines, through a comprehensive and systematic technical/experimental investigation, the security and privacy risks associated with such solutions that are commonly used by many Canadian elderly citizens and their caregivers. The project will produce a public report card for online solutions designed for seniors and the elderly, summarizing the findings of the research investigation and presenting recommendations for improving these solutions in terms of effectiveness, security and privacy. The findings of this report will be provided online free. The project will also produce an academic paper detailing the full methodology and results, and technical recommendations.