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fragmede 17 hours ago

Not the panel itself, but the firmware of the solar panel charge controller and inverter that's connected to the Internet because there's an app to monitor the system. I wouldn't bet that there aren't remote kill switches deep inside that firmware.

cybercatgurrl 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

this is where the real risk is. nobody can stop you from directly tapping the panel’s power but an inverter can potentially be bricked if it has internet. this is more an issue with residential than industrial. i would hope that all industrial panels are air-gapped specifically to pre-empt this scenario

interstice 17 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The panels and controllers are mostly interchangeable are they not?

firebot 17 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

They've found some of those in the wild. They weren't that deep.

JumpCrisscross 17 hours ago | parent [-]

Source?

leonidasrup 16 hours ago | parent [-]

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/ghost-...

"However, rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by U.S experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues, the two people said. Over the past nine months, undocumented communication devices, including cellular radios, have also been found in some batteries from multiple Chinese suppliers, one of them said."

It would not suprise me if not only Chinese manufacurers did this. Cellular modems are cheap and and the capability to cause blackout is very usefull.