For most people, solar security means protecting panels from theft, installing the correct electrical protection and ensuring that equipment is safely housed.
But modern solar installations contain something that older power systems did not:
A login.
Inverters, batteries and energy-management systems are increasingly connected to mobile applications, cloud platforms, Wi-Fi networks and remote-monitoring portals. These tools make systems easier to manage—but they also introduce a new category of risk.
The biggest vulnerability in a modern solar system may not be electrical.
It may be digital.
A solar system is no longer purely physical
A traditional electrical installation largely existed within the boundaries of the property.
Modern solar systems are different.
An installer may use an online portal to commission the inverter. A technician may access operating data remotely. A facilities manager may monitor production through an app. The manufacturer may distribute software or firmware updates through a cloud platform.
These capabilities offer real benefits. Problems can be identified faster, performance can be monitored over time and some settings can be reviewed without sending a technician to site.
However, every connection also creates another potential access point.
The US Department of Energy notes that solar inverters and control devices can become vulnerable when connected to the internet, particularly because they may communicate with other equipment and support remote monitoring or control.
That does not mean every connected solar system is unsafe.
It means the industry must start treating digital access with the same seriousness as electrical access.
What could an attacker actually do?
The word “hack” often creates an image of someone taking complete control of an entire power system.
Real risks may be less dramatic—but still commercially significant.
Depending on the equipment, its configuration and the level of access obtained, an unauthorized person could potentially:
- view operating or consumption data;
- alter system settings;
- interrupt monitoring;
- disable alerts;
- manipulate control commands;
- interfere with power production;
- change battery operating parameters;
- use a compromised device as an entry point into a wider network.
A 2025 vulnerability recorded by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency described a scenario in which an attacker with local-network access could potentially intercept or manipulate inverter information and control commands, including power settings, operating status and system resets.
The purpose of highlighting this is not to suggest that solar systems are routinely being taken over.
It is to show that these devices are no longer passive electrical components.
A connected inverter is also a computer.
The risk may begin with something ordinary
Cybersecurity failures do not always require highly sophisticated attacks.
Sometimes the weakness is simply poor access management.
A system may still use the password created during installation. Multiple technicians may share one account. An installer may use the same credentials across several customer sites. A former employee may retain access after leaving the company.
In some cases, the system owner may not even know which email address controls the primary administrator account.
Consider a commercial system that has been operating for several years.
The original installer has changed staff. The facilities manager who oversaw the project has left. A subcontractor assisted with commissioning. The monitoring application is still linked to several phones.
Who currently has access?
Who has administrator rights?
Who is authorized to change settings?
And who is responsible for removing access that is no longer required?
These are basic questions, but many businesses may not be able to answer them.
Shared installer accounts create invisible exposure
During commissioning, installers need access to configure equipment, confirm communications and register products on monitoring platforms.
The problem arises when temporary project access quietly becomes permanent.
A shared installer account may offer convenience, but it can make accountability difficult. If several people use the same credentials, it may be impossible to determine who accessed a system or changed a setting.
The risk increases when:
- passwords are shared through messaging platforms;
- one login is used for several employees;
- access is not reviewed after handover;
- subcontractors retain credentials;
- multi-factor authentication is not enabled;
- administrator accounts are tied to personal email addresses.
None of these practices automatically results in a security incident.
But together they create unnecessary exposure.
Your solar system may reveal more than generation data
Monitoring platforms can collect far more than the amount of solar energy produced each day.
Depending on the system, they may reveal:
- when a site is operating;
- patterns of electricity consumption;
- peak-demand periods;
- battery charge levels;
- equipment status;
- fault histories;
- periods when a property is inactive;
- the performance of individual devices.
For a commercial operation, this data may provide insight into working hours, production patterns and energy-intensive processes.
As photovoltaic systems become more digital, technologies such as cloud platforms, connected sensors and digital twins are being used to improve monitoring and maintenance. The same connectivity also creates concerns around unauthorized access, data exposure and cyberattacks.
Energy data should therefore be treated as business information—not merely technical information.
What happens when the software outlives its support?
Solar equipment is usually purchased with the expectation that it will operate for many years.
Software does not always follow the same lifecycle.
An app may be replaced. A cloud platform may be discontinued. A manufacturer may leave a market. Firmware updates may stop. An older communication device may no longer meet modern security expectations.
The panels could still be producing electricity while the digital layer around them becomes outdated.
This creates an important procurement question:
Will the software supporting this equipment still be maintained five or ten years from now?
Buyers often compare output, efficiency, battery capacity and warranty duration. They should also consider:
- how long security updates will be provided;
- whether the system can operate without the cloud;
- who hosts the data;
- whether accounts can be transferred;
- what happens if the monitoring service closes;
- whether access logs are available;
- how firmware vulnerabilities are addressed.
The long-term value of connected equipment depends partly on the company maintaining the software behind it.
One compromised system is a problem. Thousands may become infrastructure risk.
A single residential or commercial solar system is unlikely to destabilize an entire electricity network.
The concern changes when large numbers of connected systems use similar hardware, software and cloud-control platforms.
If many systems can be controlled through one central service, a weakness in that service could potentially affect far more than one customer.
This is why cybersecurity for distributed energy resources is receiving increasing attention from energy authorities and research institutions. The US Department of Energy’s Securing Solar for the Grid program, for example, focuses on cybersecurity gaps across solar equipment, digital supply chains and electricity infrastructure.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has also worked on cybersecurity standards and testing requirements for distributed energy resources and inverter-based systems.
As solar becomes a larger part of national energy systems, the security of individual connected devices becomes part of a broader grid-resilience conversation.
Security should begin before installation
Cybersecurity should not be added only after a problem occurs.
It should form part of system design, equipment selection, commissioning and handover.
A business buying a connected solar or battery system should understand:
- which devices connect to the internet;
- which platforms store its information;
- which people can access the system remotely;
- what level of control each account provides;
- how updates are delivered;
- how access will be removed when staff or service providers change.
The installer and supplier also have responsibilities.
They should avoid leaving default passwords in place, limit unnecessary remote access and clearly document the accounts created during commissioning.
Security becomes much easier when ownership and responsibility are established from the beginning.
Cybersecurity should form part of the handover file
A complete solar handover should not contain only electrical diagrams, warranties and equipment manuals.
For a connected system, it should also include a digital-access record.
This may cover:
- the system owner’s administrator account;
- authorised users;
- monitoring-platform details;
- account-recovery information;
- communication devices;
- current firmware versions;
- remote-support arrangements;
- procedures for removing access;
- the person responsible for future account reviews.
Passwords themselves should be transferred securely rather than printed in a document that is widely circulated.
The purpose of the record is to ensure that the business understands what is connected, who controls it and how that access is governed.
CISA recommends that operators of connected operational technology maintain an accurate inventory of their assets and understand the relationships between devices and systems. That principle applies just as meaningfully to connected energy installations.
Practical steps businesses can take
A business does not need to become a cybersecurity specialist to improve its position.
It can start with a few fundamental controls.
Replace default passwords and avoid reusing passwords from other business systems. Give each authorized person an individual account where the platform permits it. Enable multi-factor authentication when available.
Review users whenever an employee, contractor or service provider leaves. Remove accounts that are no longer needed rather than simply assuming they will not be used.
Separate energy equipment from general office or guest Wi-Fi where practical. Keep communication devices, gateways and inverter firmware up to date using updates from legitimate sources.
Most importantly, establish clear ownership.
Someone within the business should know which systems are connected, who has access and who is responsible for reviewing that access.
This is not a reason to disconnect everything
The answer is not to abandon monitoring or remote support.
Connectivity can make solar systems safer, more efficient and easier to maintain. It allows technicians to identify faults earlier and helps businesses understand whether their assets are performing as expected.
The goal is not less technology.
It is better-managed technology.
A well-secured connected system can offer significant operational value. The problem arises when digital access is treated as an afterthought or left unmanaged for years after installation.
The next solar-security conversation
The solar industry has spent years improving electrical safety, installation standards, product quality and physical protection.
The next stage must include digital security.
As inverters, batteries and energy-management platforms become smarter, businesses need to recognize that they are not purchasing only electrical equipment.
They are also purchasing connected technology.
That changes the questions customers should ask.
Not only:
Is the equipment reliable?
Is the installation compliant?
Is the warranty strong?
But also:
Who controls the administrator account?
Who can change the settings?
How long will the software be supported?
And who still has access after the project is complete?
A solar system can be protected by breakers, isolators, surge protection and locked enclosures.
But if the wrong person still has the password, the system may not be as secure as it appears.
The question is no longer only whether your solar system is generating power.
It is whether the right people—and only the right people—can control it.