EV chargers vulnerable to hacking

A new report is warning that electric vehicle chargers are increasingly becoming targets for hackers.

Cybercriminals are said to be capable of shutting down chargers or accessing data through them when a vehicle is plugged in.

The findings come from Upstream’s 2022 Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report. It cited research that found black hat actors (hackers) could remotely turn chargers on and off, remove owner access and steal vehicle owner identity.

“What’s more, black-hat actors can infiltrate a home network in cases where the chargers are Wi-Fi connected,” the report said.

According to the report, charging networks use the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol, which is designed for seamless charging between different networks and operators. It allows interoperability between charging networks.

“A weakness in one charging network could affect the entire power grid of charging stations, as a vulnerability in one platform could potentially create a vulnerability in another,” the report said.