A solar energy company learns of several recent cyber attacks

Are solar power plants vulnerable to cyberattacks?

Solar power plants have massive numbers of vulnerable internet-connected devices. Its recent focus on cybersecurity is awakening the rest of the renewable energy industry to the threat. Cyberattacks on energy companies are becoming more common.

Are solar energy systems a threat to cybersecurity?

However, cybersecurity challenges are complicated by the large number of owners and operators involved with solar energy. Solar systems need to be more cyber-aware and cyber-secure, with capabilities to prevent, identify, detect, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks.

What is solar cybersecurity?

Solar cybersecurity addresses vulnerabilities in the grid that hackers can exploit to ensure the safe and consistent delivery of renewable power.

Could a cyberattack on solar panels damage the energy grid?

A SHA2017 presentation showed the potential damage of a successful cyberattack on solar panels to the the wider energy grid. Dubbed the Horus Scenerio, Dutch researcher Willem Westerhof discovered 17 vulnerabilities in inverters and demonstrated how a widespread attack on vulnerable sites would be akin to an unexpected solar eclipse.

Are cyberattacks a real threat to renewables?

Recent proofs of concept and real-world attacks have shown that cyberattacks are a real threat for renewables. In 2017 researchers at the University of Tulsa found that a lack of segmentation among wind turbines could lead to an entire farm being taken hostage. Blauvelt says the same vulnerability exists within the solar power plant networks.

How did the March cyberattack affect solar power?

Though there was no loss of generation, the March cyberattack impacted the company’s visibility into about 500 MW of wind and PV across California, Utah and Wyoming. The attack is widely being called the “first” on renewable generators, though it is not clear the grid intrusion was entirely intentional.