Hidden Kill Switches in Chinese Power Inverters: A Global Threat to Energy Security

TL;DR

Experts have discovered hidden cellular radios in Chinese-made power inverters, raising concerns about potential remote disruptions of global power grids during conflicts.

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Main Content

Discovery of Rogue Devices in Chinese Power Inverters

Investigators have uncovered “kill switches” in Chinese-made power inverters used in US solar farm equipment. These hidden cellular radios could enable Beijing to remotely disable power grids during a conflict, posing a significant threat to energy security.

According to a report by The Times, experts found rogue devices, including hidden cellular radios, in Chinese-made power inverters used worldwide, including in the UK. These devices could be remotely activated to shut off inverters, potentially causing widespread power disruptions. The discovery raises fears that China may have installed covert malware in critical energy infrastructure across the US and Europe, enabling remote attacks during conflicts ¹.

Security Risks and Challenges

Reuters reported that while inverters are designed to allow remote access for updates and maintenance, utility companies typically install firewalls to prevent direct communication back to China. However, rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by US experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues ².

In the past nine months, experts have discovered undocumented communication devices like cellular radios in batteries from multiple Chinese suppliers, though the exact number of affected inverters and batteries is unknown. “That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid,” an anonymous informer told Reuters.

The existence of these rogue devices has been newly revealed, with no public US government acknowledgment. The Department of Energy (DOE) said it assesses risks but faces challenges due to manufacturers’ poor disclosure. The DOE is working with the federal government to strengthen US supply chains and integrate trusted equipment into the power grid as domestic manufacturing grows.

Cyber Attacks on US Grid

The US grid was successfully hacked in November by hackers belonging to foreign governments. Despite the difficulty in attribution, security experts believe that Russia, Iran, and China were behind the successful breach ³⁴⁵.

US Representative August Pfluger, a Republican member of the Committee on Homeland Security, stated, “The threat we face from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is real and growing. Whether it’s telecom hacks or remotely accessing solar and battery inverters, the CCP stops at nothing to target our sensitive infrastructure and components. It is about time we ramp up our efforts to show China that compromising us will no longer be acceptable,” he told Reuters ⁶.

Conclusion

The discovery of hidden kill switches in Chinese-made power inverters highlights the urgent need for enhanced security measures in critical infrastructure. As the global energy landscape evolves, it is crucial for governments and industries to collaborate in mitigating these threats and ensuring the resilience of power grids against potential cyber-attacks.

Additional Resources

For further insights, check:

• The Times Report on Rogue Devices
• Reuters on Ghost Machine
• Security Affairs on Cyber Attacks

References

1. The Times (2025). “Rogue devices found in Chinese power inverters”. The Times. ↩︎

2. Reuters (2025). “Ghost machine: Rogue communication devices found in Chinese inverters”. Reuters. ↩︎

3. Security Affairs (2025). “Cyber attacks on energy industry”. Security Affairs. ↩︎

4. Security Affairs (2025). “Operation Cleaver: Iranian hackers”. Security Affairs. ↩︎

5. Security Affairs (2025). “US Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams hacked”. Security Affairs. ↩︎

6. Reuters (2025). “US Representative August Pfluger on Chinese threats”. Reuters. ↩︎