Cyberattacks and IT security are considered the biggest threats to Germany’s energy security, according to a survey of 150 local utilities. An ethical hacker uncovered vulnerabilities in the Dutch solar panel network, gaining access to millions of smart solar panels. In Finland and Sweden, a local utility company reported that it faces daily cyberattacks and that it spotted drones near its sites in 2024. And most recently, back in March, the Nuclear Research Centre in Poland detected and blocked an attack before it could cause any harm.

The European energy sector increasingly relies on automation and AI-led processes. While these can significantly improve the efficiency of the grids, they also give hackers new “easy” targets.

These attacks are increasing hand in hand with the evolution of smart grid technologies and the decentralisation of energy production from renewable sources. While having numerous smaller sites over only a few large ones is generally considered beneficial for energy security, the system needs technology that can coordinate the individual sites and adapt to the supply and demand in real-time at many different meeting points – and every such point is a breeding ground for cyberattacks.

A cyberattack that confuses the monitoring with excessive traffic can cause far-reaching blackouts or major financial losses by wasting energy.

The more complex the energy system is, the more challenging it will be to keep it safe. Every smart meter, sensor, heat pump, or electric car that is connected to the grid becomes a potential access point for attackers.

What do we do? While it's hard to stop these kinds of attacks from happening, it's the response that decides whether they'll have a real impact on people. The goal of the recent Network and Information Security EU Directive is to keep this response time as short as possible to create a more unified approach to these threats among EU countries.

Europe also needs to get more cybersecurity professionals, as the industry currently faces a major workforce shortage, with 270,000-500,000 positions that could be filled. Particularly, the energy sector has been struggling with attracting cybersecurity professionals, so if you’ve considered a job in cybersecurity, you might want to consider helping out.