Augmented Reality Integration for Real-time Security and Maintenance in IoT-enabled Smart Campuses

The rapid integration of Internet of Things (IoT) systems in public infrastructure like smart campuses has expanded the attack surface through edge devices, amplifying the risk of insider attacks. Traditional defense tools use centralized systems, typically located off-campus, for log monitoring to facilitate intrusion detection and security protocol enforcement in smart infrastructures. The limited real-time data access and observability provided to on-site staff in smart buildings under this traditional approach presents an advantage to intruders with physical access to exploit vulnerabilities in the IoT sensing and perception layers. In this study, we explore the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to facilitate real-time monitoring of various sensors and IoT devices to provide an application for actionable insights for security and maintenance in a smart campus environment. The proposed application aims to enable key non-expert personnel, such as security guards and maintenance staff, to actively participate in cybersecurity defense by providing immediate data access and connectivity between dispersed endpoints throughout the campus. The paper further investigates the potential benefits and challenges of using AR interfaces to visualize complex sensor networks. In addition, we discuss the implications of our findings on the future design and management of smart campuses, emphasising improving the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and maintenance activities.