At CyberStreams, we help small and medium-sized businesses stay secure in a digital-first world. But the recent discovery of rogue communication devices inside the U.S. power grid hits dangerously close to home.

Imagine this: your business grinds to a halt, your servers shut down, your inventory spoils, and your customers go dark. All because of a hidden backdoor that no one noticed, or worse, chose to ignore. This isn’t science fiction. It’s a risk we now face in real time.

What Was Discovered?

In early 2025, U.S. cybersecurity experts uncovered unauthorized communication devices, such as cellular radios, embedded in Chinese-manufactured solar inverters and battery systems. These components are critical for connecting renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines to the power grid.

These devices weren’t documented in technical specs, weren’t visible to network monitoring tools, and had the potential to bypass standard cybersecurity protections like firewalls. Experts warn that, if exploited, these devices could be used to remotely tamper with grid operations, potentially triggering blackouts or even causing physical damage to grid infrastructure.

Some on X (formerly Twitter) have labeled them “kill switches,” sparking fears of foreign sabotage. While some experts argue this may be standard technology gone unchecked, others point to an incident in November 2024, when inverters were allegedly disabled remotely from China, causing disruption and igniting a dispute between U.S. supplier Sol-Ark and Chinese manufacturer Deye.

The Bigger Threat

The Department of Homeland Security has flagged Huawei, a major supplier in this space, for possible backdoors in its inverters. Huawei's equipment controls roughly 29% of global inverter capacity, a figure too large to ignore. The concern is not just about espionage; it's about the very real possibility of remote shutdowns and data theft that could destabilize the power grid.

Even more concerning: only 15% of U.S. grid components have undergone thorough security vetting. Meanwhile, 78% of solar inverters used in the U.S. are made in China, increasing our exposure to these vulnerabilities.

In 2023, a ransomware attack on a utility cost $10 million and disrupted power for 20,000 homes. In 2024, the average breach cost U.S. businesses $4.8 million. Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), especially those that rely on stable power for servers, inventory, and production, stand to suffer the most if the grid goes down.

What You Can Do: 3 Key Steps to Protect Your Business

While government agencies work to secure infrastructure, businesses can’t afford to wait. Here’s what we recommend:

1. Assess Your Power Dependency
Map out how a power outage would impact your business. Which operations would be disrupted? Which systems are most vulnerable? This visibility is key to developing a realistic continuity plan.

2. Implement Backup Power Capacity
Ensure that critical systems, servers, security, refrigeration, etc., are protected by uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). Consider installing a generator for longer outages, especially if downtime would result in significant losses.

3. Assess Your Supply Chain Resilience
It’s not just about your business. What about your vendors, suppliers, and logistics partners? Ask what steps they’re taking to ensure resilience in the face of grid threats.

Conclusion: Power Security Is Business Security

The line between cybersecurity and physical infrastructure is fading. What used to be considered an IT problem is now a national security issue, and a business survival challenge.

If we’ve learned anything from the last few years, it’s this: resilience is everything. The growing risks within our power grid aren’t just theoretical. From hidden tech to remote shutdowns, the threats are real, and the time to act is now.

At CyberStreams, we’re committed to helping businesses navigate this evolving threat landscape. If your business depends on uninterrupted power (and let’s face it, most do), now is the time to reassess, reinforce, and prepare.