System shocks? EV smart charging tech poses cyber risks

In a Dark Reading interview at Black Hat USA 2025, Salvatore Gariuolo, senior threat researcher at Trend Micro, discusses ISO 15118, a global communication standard reshaping electric vehicle charging.

Projections suggest that more than 600 million electric vehicles will be on roads by 2040, representing more than 30% of global vehicle volume. To cope with that, the standard supports smart charging and vehicle-to-grid communications to help manage grid strain.

Yet, despite its benefits, Gariuolo reveals concerning security gaps in the ISO 15118 standard, including the potential for malicious actors to compromise multiple charging stations and manipulate the flow of electricity between vehicles and the grid. This could potentially destabilize grid frequency and trigger blackouts similar to what Spain and Portugal experienced in April, where the national grid was disconnected for nearly 40 hours.

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