A recent advisory from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has highlighted security vulnerabilities in solar inverters, a crucial component of home energy systems. The flaws could allow hackers to intercept data, install malicious firmware, or seize control of the entire system.
The issue is not unique to one company, but rather an industry-wide problem. EG4 Electronics, a Texas-based company with 55,000 customers, was recently in the spotlight after CISA published an advisory detailing security vulnerabilities in their solar inverters. The flaws include unencrypted data transmission and rudimentary authentication procedures.
Despite acknowledging its shortcomings, EG4’s CEO, James Showalter, deflects blame, citing it as an industry-wide problem. However, this doesn’t alleviate concerns for customers who are now learning that modern solar inverters serve as the backbone of home energy installations, monitoring performance and communicating with utility companies.
Industry experts warn that individual homes in the US are becoming miniature power plants, adding more nodes to a rapidly expanding network of interconnected devices. This increases the attack surface exponentially, making it challenging for cybersecurity standards to keep pace.
While theoretically possible, a mass attack on residential inverters is unlikely due to practical limitations. The regulatory framework governing larger installations doesn’t extend to residential systems, leaving them in a gray zone where cybersecurity standards remain suggestions rather than requirements.
As the energy grid becomes increasingly distributed, with power flowing from millions of small sources, the risk of aggregate vulnerability grows. Solar adopters are now unwitting participants in a knotty cybersecurity landscape that few seem to fully comprehend.
The good news is that companies like EG4 are taking steps to address the identified vulnerabilities. However, for customers who felt let down by the company’s response, this episode highlights the odd position they find themselves in – purchasing climate-friendly tech only to discover they’ve become vulnerable to cyber threats.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/15/how-your-solar-rooftop-became-a-national-security-issue