Highlighting sabotage risks, US transportation advisory warns of undocumented radios in roadside solar equipment.
The US government has warned that solar-powered highway infrastructure such as roadside weather stations, traffic cameras, and electric vehicle chargers may contain undocumented communications devices hidden within batteries and inverters.
According to a four-page security advisory issued by the Federal Highway Administration late last month, some foreign-manufactured power inverters and battery management systems (BMS) were found to house cellular radios that were not disclosed in product specifications. The advisory, reviewed by Reuters, did not identify the country of origin, but many such devices are manufactured in China.
Officials fear that the embedded radios could be exploited for remote tampering, potentially at the direction of Beijing, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in critical US transportation infrastructure. The alert comes amid growing scrutiny of Chinese technology in sectors deemed vital to national security.
Inverters are essential components that convert energy from solar panels or wind turbines into usable electricity. Experts warn that if compromised, these devices could be manipulated to trigger power surges, disrupt roadside equipment, or send unauthorized commands. Such interference could pose significant risks, particularly to systems supporting autonomous vehicles.
Anomadarshi Barua, an academic at George Mason University who has studied inverter security, said maliciously installed components could create widespread disruption if activated. The possibility of hidden radios, he noted, highlights the broader risks of relying on foreign-made infrastructure technology.
The advisory urges state transportation agencies and contractors to scan equipment for rogue devices and strengthen cybersecurity protocols, as the US steps up efforts to safeguard transportation networks against potential sabotage.
