Amid national efforts to increase the amount of electric vehicles in the United States, a new potential vulnerability has emerged: electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

In a survey of EV sector professionals, 39% of respondents noted security as a top challenge to Internet of Things (IoT)-based EV infrastructure adoption. As more EV charging stations are constructed and planned across the country, the uptick in connected devices opens the energy sector up to increased cyberattacks, according to Loney Crist, Senior VP Cyber Security Software Development for IPKeys Power Partners. 

"EV charging infrastructure is as vulnerable to suffering from cyber threats as any other connected device, but the complexity and quick evolution of the technology and connected devices puts this technology especially at risk," said Crist. With the inclusion of IoT technology managing payment and data analytics in EV charging stations, there are multiple vectors for cyberattacks.

"These technologies must be scanned for vulnerabilities and monitored for cyber attacks both known and unknown," said Crist. Incorporating threat detection and monitoring tools into the rapidly developing EV charging infrastructure could help reduce the risk of the new technology as it spreads across the U.S.