As electric vehicle sales pick up steam worldwide, EV charging stations are emerging as an enticing target for hackers.
Chargers provide a new opportunity for "hackers looking for ways to make money," warns Yoav Levy, CEO of Upstream Security, an Israeli provider of automotive cybersecurity platforms.
"On one hand, chargers are connected to the grid, and on the other hand, they're connected to your car," Levy said.
High-profile incidents of hacked charging stations around the world have spotlighted the vulnerabilities. Three charging points on the Isle of Wight in England were hacked to show pornography on their screens, according to a report last month by BBC News.
In February, EV charging stations along a major highway between Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia were disabled by hackers protesting the country's invasion of Ukraine. The chargers' screens reportedly displayed a vulgar insult directed at Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other pro-Ukraine and anti-Russia messages.