‘Rogue’ devices found in Chinese solar inverters raises cybersecurity alarm in Europe

Newly Discovered Communication Equipment Found in Chinese-Made Solar Inverters

US energy officials have detected mysterious communication devices inside certain Chinese-manufactured inverter devices, as stated in a Reuters report. The report highlighted the existence of unreported and ‘rogue’ communication devices in multiple Chinese-produced solar inverters. These devices could potentially create unregulated and unreported remote communication pathways to the inverters, enabling an individual to remotely evade the cybersecurity firewalls that utility companies utilize to prevent direct communication back to China.

Concerns have been raised about the presence of similar devices in Chinese-made batteries. Inverters, known as the ‘heart’ or ‘brain’ of a PV system, are heavily digitalized products. Hackers could potentially disrupt or shut down solar power supply remotely if they gain control of the inverter, leading to power outages, blackouts, or damage to energy infrastructure.

Although the discovery was made in the US, the appearance of unregistered equipment has sparked alarm in Europe. The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) expressed worries about the security risk posed by inverters in Europe, calling for increased cybersecurity protection for European inverters. The ESMC also urged the European Commission to assess the risk potential for sabotage and espionage by manufacturers of components that significantly influence the European grid’s behavior.

PV Tech has approached the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for comments on this finding. The ESMC and SolarPower Europe have advocated for more stringent cybersecurity measures for European inverters, emphasizing the necessity of remote access limitations for ‘high risk’ Chinese manufacturers.

The concerns regarding cybersecurity in the solar industry are growing, with reports highlighting potential damage from cyber attacks. As the industry expands, there is a rising fear of cyber threats, with hacker groups linked to the Chinese and Russian governments posing significant risks to critical infrastructure in the US and Europe.

At the Intersolar Europe trade show in Munich, European industry experts discussed the real risk of cyberattacks on solar inverters, underscoring the need for heightened cybersecurity measures in the European solar sector. The risk of cyberattacks on solar inverters, once considered hypothetical, is now seen as a tangible threat following the recent report from the US.