Solar Cybersecurity: Protecting the Grid from Evolving Threats
Industry News – February 17, 2026
As solar power shifts from isolated systems to interconnected IoT assets, it has become a high-priority target for cybercriminals.
In 2024 and 2025, the industry saw a marked increase in threats targeting solar monitoring and control systems, highlighting the need for robust security frameworks.
A Shifting Threat Environment
The digitization of energy has opened new attack surfaces. U.S. utility operators reported a sharp increase in cyber incidents in 2024, with renewable energy systems increasingly included in threat assessments.
- Vulnerability Exposure: Attackers are scanning the internet for exposed management interfaces, particularly on older devices that are unpatched or using default credentials.
- Case Study: Japan's SolarView Breach: Researchers identified hundreds of exposed SolarView Compact devices in Japan, many running outdated firmware. While not directly damaging grid operations, these breaches demonstrated how easily internet-exposed hardware can be compromised.
Verified Vulnerabilities and Researcher Findings
Cybersecurity firms have intensified their scrutiny of solar hardware to identify flaws before they are exploited in the wild.
- Forescout Vedere Labs Report (Oct 2024): Researchers identified dozens of vulnerabilities in solar power systems from leading manufacturers like Sungrow, Growatt, and SMA Solar Technology. These flaws included information leakage and remote code execution capabilities.
- Systemic Access Potential: Security researchers have demonstrated that misconfigured solar systems from multiple manufacturers can be remotely accessed under certain conditions, underscoring the risk of aggregated attacks on distributed energy resources (DERs).
Supply Chain and Firmware Concerns
As dependency on specialized hardware grows, attention has shifted to the security of the supply chain.
- Firmware Transparency: Researchers have raised concerns about undocumented communication pathways and insufficient transparency in some inverter firmware and hardware designs, prompting calls for stricter auditing of components.
Strengthening Solar Defense
To secure these assets, operators and owners must adopt a multi-layered approach to defense:
- Network Segmentation: Separate inverter control systems (OT) from business networks (IT) using firewalls to prevent lateral movement.
- Regular Audits: Conduct periodic security assessments to identify unpatched firmware and exposed devices.
- Strict Procurement: Owners of commercial installations should enforce strict security requirements when procuring solar equipment, including requiring manufacturers to provide clear SBOMs (Software Bill of Materials).
The Regulatory Context
Governments are taking action to mandate higher security standards:
- EU NIS2 Directive: Now in effect, requiring stronger cybersecurity and supply-chain oversight for energy operators across Europe.
- U.S. DOE Guidelines: The Department of Energy has outlined steps to strengthen protection for distributed energy systems, focusing on grid resilience.
References
- Forescout (June 2025): Security Risks of Internet-Exposed Solar Power Systems.
- Help Net Security (Oct 2025): Solar Power Boom Opened Backdoor for Cybercriminals.
- Industrial Cyber (Mar 2025): Forescout SUN:DOWN research uncovers critical vulnerabilities in solar inverters.
