A threat weighs on solar installations: 35,000 devices affected by flaws
Vulnerable equipment: inverters, data recorders and network bridges. Previously, Forescout identified 46 vulnerabilities in solar energy systems, proof of the extent of the problem in terms of cybersecurity.
Critical vulnerabilities of solar installations
Despite these alerts, many devices have still not been corrected while online threats are more and more formidable. Several elements explain these problems: default default security configurations, unclear explanations for dangerous manual users or manual parameters.
According to the report, it is in Europe that there are the most devices exposed with 76 %. Germany and Greece are the most affected.
A solar system connected to the Internet is not automatically vulnerable but is a privileged target for pirates. The SolarView Compact company was notably involved in an incident in 2024 in Japan with stolen banking data.
According to Forescout, unsecured devices are common and many run with obsolete firmware. Others have vulnerabilities that are even exploited by attacks.
Online connected devices have a limited impact when taken individually. But they are used as entry points to critical infrastructure. Interconnection transforms minor flaws into major risks for energy security.
Several solutions are offered such as withdrawing devices that it is not possible to correct and avoid showing management interfaces. The remote access must be done via secure solutions such as VPNs, as indicated by the CISA and NIST directives.
It is also recommended to add antivirus performance, endpoint protection solutions and Zero Trust Network Access architecture. The goal is to isolate critical systems of potential intrusions while ensuring total functionality.
