Evaluating the security and privacy of FemTech IoT devices and Apps via system studies

This involves assessing the technical security measures implemented by FemTech products to protect user data from unauthorised access, breaches, and cyberattacks. This part of our method also examines the privacy policies and data handling practices of FemTech companies to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and ethical standards. This part mainly published in [1,4].

Investigating user perception and practice via user studies

the project explores how users perceive the security and privacy risks associated with FemTech and how they engage with these technologies in practice. It aims to understand user awareness of data collection practices, their concerns about data sharing, and their strategies for managing their privacy. This part mainly published in [2,5].

Systematically reviewing the related laws and regulations

In this part, we review the existing regulations related to FemTech in the UK, EU, and Switzerland and identify the gaps. We run experiments on a range of FemTech devices and apps and identify several exploitative practices. This part mainly published in [3].

Reference:

1. Stephen Cook, Maryam Mehrnezhad, and Ehsan Toreini, Bluetooth Security Analysis of General and Intimate IoT devices and Apps: The Case of FemTceh, International Journal of Information Security, 2024, Open access link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10207-024-00883-3
2. Maryam Mehrnezhad, and Teresa Almeida. “My sex-related data is more sensitive than my financial data and I want the same level of security and privacy”: User Risk Perceptions and Protective Actions in Female-oriented Technologies.” The European Symposium on Usable Security, ACM, Denmark, 2023, Open access link: https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3617072.3617100
3. Maryam Mehrnezhad, Tyla van der Merwe, Mike Catt, Mind the FemTech Gap: Regulation Failings and Exploitative Systems, Journal of Frontiers in IoT, 2024, earlier version at: Privacy Engineering in Practice (PEP), Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security Workshop, USA, 2023, Open access link: https://pep23.com/assets/pdf/pep23-paper6.pdf
4. Teresa Almeida, Maryam Mehrnezhad, Stephen Cook, The Importance of Collective Privacy in Digital Sexual and Reproductive Health, the 17th Annual UK Fertility Conference 2024, Open access link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.15432
5. Diana P. Moniz, Maryam Mehrnezhad, Teresa Almeida, Intimate Data: Perceptions of Privacy and Privacy-Seeking Behaviors through the SCM, IFIP INTERACT, 2023, Link to paper: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-42286-7_30