The digitalisation of photovoltaic systems is steadily increasing, offering significant advantages such as remote monitoring, performance optimisation and predictive maintenance. However, greater connectivity also introduces heightened security risks. Without adequate protection, hackers could exploit vulnerable PV systems, gaining access to sensitive data, manipulating system operations, or potentially destabilising the power grid.
Recent studies indicate that over 76% of exposed solar power devices worldwide are located in Europe, with Germany and Greece each accounting for approximately 20% of the global total of unintentionally exposed systems.ยน
Nevertheless, there are effective methods available to actively protect PV systems and secure sensitive data. To ensure robust security, it is essential to identify the potential points of attack and vulnerabilities clearly in advance. The primary vulnerabilities are summarised below.
Points of attack for PV systems
There are various points of attack for unauthorised access to PV systems. In order to protect them effectively, it is important to know and identify these in advance. We have summarised the biggest vulnerabilities here:
Insufficient password protection
Some inverters, monitoring devices or gateways are publicly accessible via standard passwords or without VPN and are therefore vulnerable to attack.
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