Many solar panel inverters in the Netherlands vulnerable to hackers, sabotage

The solar panel inverters used in the Netherlands are vulnerable to sabotage, the National Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) said after examining nine inverters on the Dutch market. None of them met the cybersecurity standards.

“This makes them easy to hack, disable remotely, or use for DDoS attacks. Personal and usage data can also be stolen via inverters,” the RDI said, adding that it was “very concerned.” The RDI advised the involved manufacturers to adjust their products to meet the new requirements that will take effect from 1 August 2024.

The RDI also found that five of the nine inverters didn’t meet the malfunction requirements. These inverters could interfere with other everyday devices. Things like radio or wireless tags to open doors may not work or work less well around these inverters. “Even aviation and shipping can be affected.” Manufacturers are legally obligated to take appropriate measures to prevent their products from interfering with other items, and the RDI alerted the involved manufacturers to this obligation.

None of the examined inverters met the administrative requirements, the RDI said. These include things like an easy-to-understand manual so that consumers use the product correctly and the manufacturer’s address details so that consumers can contact them with questions and problems.

The RDI urged consumers to only purchase inverters with a CE mark. “An inverter without a CE mark does not meet the requirements. It is important to pay attention to this when purchasing.” Also, secure your inverters with a strong password and install regular updates to improve cybersecurity.