Researchers have identified 8,547 exposed energy systems connected to solar and wind installations across 35 European countries. The findings include management interfaces and control panels accessible through the public internet.
Internet intelligence company Modat surveyed renewable energy infrastructure in 40 countries across the EU, EFTA and EU candidate states. Although most interfaces displayed login screens, researchers reported full control over systems at 181 locations.
The findings concern potential unauthorized access and operational disruption. They do not establish that attackers compromised every exposed system or caused power outages.
Solar Systems Account for Most Exposures
Solar infrastructure made up the largest share of the findings, with 7,942 publicly accessible systems across 34 countries.
Spain accounted for 2,766 of those exposures, or approximately 35% of the solar total. Together, Spain, Germany, Greece and Italy represented 76%.
Meanwhile, researchers identified 605 exposed wind systems across 23 countries. Germany and Italy together accounted for 67% of that category.
The Netherlands had 132 exposed solar systems and nine wind systems.
These figures describe the systems researchers identified during their survey. They do not show what proportion of each country’s renewable energy infrastructure was exposed.
Researchers Report Full Control at 181 Locations
Most of the interfaces required users to pass a login screen. However, researchers said they obtained complete control at 181 locations.
Available functions included the ability to stop individual wind turbines or shut down an entire wind farm. Access also revealed live production information and turbine locations.
That distinction separates internet visibility from direct operational access. A publicly reachable login page creates exposure, but it does not automatically mean anyone can operate the equipment behind it.
Nevertheless, the reported control available at some sites points to a more immediate risk. Unauthorized changes could interfere with energy production rather than simply reveal information.
The account does not state that researchers actually shut down turbines or wind farms.
Public Interfaces Made Infrastructure Easy to Find
Modat said its researchers located the exposed energy systems within a few hours.
According to founder and CEO Soufian El Yadmani, renewable energy infrastructure presents a fragmented digital landscape. Operators do not always monitor internet-facing systems, making it harder to maintain a complete picture of their exposure.
Consequently, the same visibility that helped researchers identify control panels could also help attackers discover potential targets.
The issue extends beyond the security of individual installations. Thousands of separately managed interfaces create a wider challenge for identifying and addressing weaknesses across the sector.
Administrators Receive Warnings About Exposed Systems
Researchers notified administrators responsible for the affected interfaces and urged them to remove those systems from public internet access.
That recommendation concerns access to management and control interfaces, rather than a blanket shutdown of electricity generation.
The team presented its findings at The ONE Conference in The Hague earlier that week.
Meanwhile, the research follows earlier concerns about connected renewable energy equipment. In July, the Chaos Computer Club and a security researcher reported serious vulnerabilities in Hoymiles inverters for balcony and rooftop solar installations.
The new findings broaden the focus from individual products to the accessibility of operational systems across Europe. For affected operators, the immediate issue is whether outsiders can reach sensitive controls and what those connections allow them to do.
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