NYU Tandon researchers release new version of free software that finds your home’s hidden cybersecurity vulnerabilities

Want to know if your smart home is spying on you?

Cybersecurity researchers from NYU Tandon School of Engineering, in collaboration with colleagues from academic institutions nationwide, will unveil a major upgrade to IoT Inspector next month. This pioneering free desktop app exposes security vulnerabilities in smart home devices. 

First released in 2019, IoT Inspector lets people analyze their connected home devices, from smart TVs and thermostats to security cameras and appliances, revealing potential privacy risks and security weaknesses.

The updated software will introduce enhanced privacy controls, improved device identification, and an intuitive redesigned interface — just as millions of households add new smart devices acquired during the holiday season.

"Most people don’t realize that the connected devices like TVs or refrigerators that make their homelife easier may also be monitoring their daily habits and sharing personal information with third parties," said Danny Y. Huang,  who leads the IoT Inspector research team. "IoT Inspector pulls back the curtain and shows people the security and privacy vulnerabilities that exist in their homes.”

Huang is an NYU Tandon assistant professor with appointments in both the Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering departments. He is also a member of NYU Center for Cybersecurity, NYU Tandon’s Center for Urban Science + Progress, and Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications.

Since its initial release, IoT Inspector has attracted thousands of users and gained widespread industry acclaim. The software has been instrumental in numerous academic research projects, contributing to eight significant published papers between 2020 and 2024 that have advanced the field's understanding of IoT privacy and vulnerability detection.

Using the IoT Inspector desktop app, people can monitor how much data their smart devices are sending and receiving, identify which third parties their devices are communicating with — including advertisers and entities in foreign countries — and detect potential privacy breaches, such as devices listening or watching without consent. The software provides clear visualizations of network activity, allowing users to quickly spot unusual patterns or concerning behavior.

"Our team has been developing and refining IoT Inspector for over five years, working closely with privacy researchers and journalists to understand the real-world needs of users," said Huang. "This update reflects our commitment to making smart home security accessible to everyone, not just technical experts. IoT Inspector is both a powerful research aid and a much-needed tool for privacy-conscious consumers."

IoT Inspector is available for both PC and Mac users. Users can sign up now to be notified in January 2025 when the updated software will be available for download for free from the IoT Inspector site. The software enables users to begin monitoring their smart home devices within minutes of installation.

Data from IoT Inspector users contributes to academic research conducted by the project's research team. Funding for IoT Inspector has come from the National Science Foundation, as well as Amazon, CableLabs, Cisco, Comcast, Hewlett Foundation, and Microsoft.