The rapid spread of solar energy systems also brings with it cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The latest report published by Forescout’s Vedere Labs unit revealed that approximately 35,000 solar energy devices open to the internet worldwide have serious security vulnerabilities. These devices include inverters, data loggers and gateways.
Thousands of solar panel systems are vulnerable!
The report stated that most of these devices run on outdated software and that known vulnerabilities already circulating on the internet can be used in these systems. Moreover, many of the devices in question were released years ago and some are models that are no longer supported by the manufacturer.
According to Forescout’s data, 76 percent of these devices open to the internet are located in Europe. Germany and Greece stand out among the countries most at risk. The report says that this situation is not only related to product quality, but also to insecurity of default factory settings, user configuration errors and incomplete guidance.
The visibility of the SolarView Compact device on the internet has increased by 350 percent in the last two years. This device was used in a cyber attack in Japan in 2024 and played a role in the infiltration of bank accounts. The increased risk profile of this model in particular shows that there may be serious vulnerabilities even in systems that continue to be supported by manufacturers.
Forescout’s previously published report identified 46 different security vulnerabilities. Now, it is seen that many of the same systems are still working with these vulnerabilities. Old but still in use products such as SMA Sunny WebBox are accessible over the internet and could potentially serve as a backdoor in critical energy infrastructures.
The threat is not only a technical vulnerability; it also has geopolitical implications. A report published by Reuters last year drew attention to the independent communication modules placed in inverters of Chinese origin. Although these modules have not been linked to any attack, many countries have decided to review the security protocols in their energy infrastructures.
Security experts say that devices without manufacturer support should be retired. It is also not recommended to open management interfaces directly to the internet. If remote access is required, virtual private networks (VPN) should be used and international security standards such as CISA and NIST should be followed.
However, in addition to basic security layers such as antivirus and endpoint protection solutions, next-generation security approaches such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) architecture are now essential for protecting critical infrastructures. Otherwise, a small inverter could trigger a major energy crisis.
