Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

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AE-NMidlands
Posts: 2011
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:10 pm

Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#1

Post by AE-NMidlands »

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... -explainer
interesting article, and quite concerning when you think that "assymetric warfare" seems to involve/include undermining a state's infrastructure. I hadn't read their earlier article explaining it, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... astructure which says
Chinese hackers infiltrated plane, train and water systems for five years, US says.
A group known as Volt Typhoon, geared toward sabotage, quietly burrowed into critical US infrastructure networks.

An advanced group of Chinese hackers taking aim at critical US infrastructure has been active for as long as half a decade, American and allied intelligence agencies said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The US National Security Agency, US cyber watchdog CISA, the FBI and the Transportation Security Administration said that the group known as Volt Typhoon had quietly burrowed into the networks of aviation, rail, mass transit, highway, maritime, pipeline, water and sewage organizations.
None of the organizations were identified by name, but the statement said that US intelligence officials had observed the hackers “maintaining access and footholds within some victim IT environments for at least five years”.

Could have implications for any system controlled via the cloud... like my GivEnergy kit! Let's hope their IT security is up to scratch.
2.0 kW/4.62 MWh pa in Ripples, 4.5 kWp W-facing pv, 9.5 kWh batt
30 solar thermal tubes, 2MWh pa in Stockport, plus Congleton and Kinlochbervie Hydros,
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openspaceman
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2022 7:37 pm

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#2

Post by openspaceman »

AE-NMidlands wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 9:10 am
Could have implications for any system controlled via the cloud... like my GivEnergy kit! Let's hope their IT security is up to scratch.
It's why we replaced hikvision cameras at work 7 years ago and why I want to morph my system away from Growatt battery.
Morso S11
FIT
16 Sharp PV panels facing WSW 4kW
Solarmax 4200S inverter
Non FIT
3 Canadian solar DC coupled 1.75kW facing SSE
Storage
Growatt SPA3000TL BL inverter ac coupled
Growatt GBLI6532 6.5kWh lithium phosphate battery
SimonSays
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2022 10:08 am

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#3

Post by SimonSays »

openspaceman wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:06 pm It's why we replaced hikvision cameras at work 7 years ago and why I want to morph my system away from Growatt battery.
It's possible to remove the Growatt wifi stick (and stop sending data to Growatt servers) without ditching the inverter. There are a couple of options, both involving Home Assistant.
3.2kWp south facing solar array, MCS
Growatt SPH 3600 TL BL-UP 3.6kW hybrid inverter
Growatt SPH 5000 TL BL-UP 5kW hybrid inverter (in storage)
16.5kWh storage
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Krill
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Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 4:38 pm

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#4

Post by Krill »

I'm all for having a functional offline system.

I just wish we had an easy off the self option for Node Red to work with Luxpower inverters. We probably do, just not one that can be implemented by unskilled people such as myself.
Solar PV: 6.4kW solar PV (Eurener MEPV 400W*16)
PV Inverter: Solis 6kW inverter
Batteries: 14.4kWh LiFePO4 batteries (Pylontech US5000*3)
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openspaceman
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Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2022 7:37 pm

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#5

Post by openspaceman »

SimonSays wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:47 pm
openspaceman wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2024 2:06 pm It's why we replaced hikvision cameras at work 7 years ago and why I want to morph my system away from Growatt battery.
It's possible to remove the Growatt wifi stick (and stop sending data to Growatt servers) without ditching the inverter. There are a couple of options, both involving Home Assistant.
I don't think I'm clever enough for home assistant.
Morso S11
FIT
16 Sharp PV panels facing WSW 4kW
Solarmax 4200S inverter
Non FIT
3 Canadian solar DC coupled 1.75kW facing SSE
Storage
Growatt SPA3000TL BL inverter ac coupled
Growatt GBLI6532 6.5kWh lithium phosphate battery
SimonSays
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2022 10:08 am

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#6

Post by SimonSays »

Solar Assistant may be enough for your needs. I noticed it supports Growatt SPA inverters, but I don't use it myself.
3.2kWp south facing solar array, MCS
Growatt SPH 3600 TL BL-UP 3.6kW hybrid inverter
Growatt SPH 5000 TL BL-UP 5kW hybrid inverter (in storage)
16.5kWh storage
2020 VW e-Golf, 35.8kWh
2022 Jaguar I-PACE, 90kWh
MyEnergi Zappi & Eddi
Jinx
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2022 10:16 pm

Re: Volt Typhoon: the ‘defining threat of our generation’

#7

Post by Jinx »

I use solar assistant on my growatt, works much more reliably than the stick did, simple guide online worked perfectly, recommended.

As a side note my growatt account had constant password reset requests.
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