MitM Attack to Electric Vehicle AC Chargers

J. Jarauta Gastelu, R. Gesteira-Miñarro, J. Matanza, R. Palacios, G. López

IEEE Internet of Things Journal Vol. 12, nº. 19, pp. 39689 - 39700

Summary:

This paper explores a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack targeting AC charging points for electric vehicles (EVs), demonstrating the ability to covertly control the vehicle’s charging process without detection by either the charging station or the vehicle. The attack was conducted successfully in both controlled laboratory environments and real-world settings, exposing vulnerabilities in the communication protocols between the charging station and the vehicle. By intercepting and manipulating the communication, an attacker can adjust the charging rate, reducing, increasing, or halting the charging process altogether. This not only affects individual vehicles but could have a broader impact on the electrical grid, especially as the use of high-power EV chargers continues to grow. With the rapid increase in electric vehicle adoption worldwide, the potential for synchronized attacks on multiple charging points presents a significant risk to grid stability, from local affections to higher widespread impacts. This research then underscores the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect the charging infrastructure and prevent large-scale disruptions to energy systems.

Spanish layman's summary:

Este artículo muestra cómo un ataque man-in-the-middle puede controlar la carga de un vehículo eléctrico, destacando la necesidad de medidas de ciberseguridad más sólidas para proteger la infraestructura y evitar interrupciones masivas en los sistemas energéticos.

English layman's summary:

This paper demonstrates the ability of a man-in-the-middle attack to control the charging process of an electrical vehicle. This research then underscores the need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect the charging infrastructure and prevent large-scale disruptions to energy systems.

Keywords: Electric Vehicles, AC Charging, Man-in-the Middle, Cybersecurity

JCR-JIF Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 8,700 - Q1 (2025)

DOI reference: https://doi.org/10.1109/JIOT.2025.3589219

Published on paper: October 2025.

Published on-line: July 2025.

Citation:
J. Jarauta Gastelu, R. Gesteira-Miñarro, J. Matanza, R. Palacios, G. López, "MitM Attack to Electric Vehicle AC Chargers", IEEE Internet of Things Journal, Vol. 12, nº. 19, pp. 39689 - 39700, October 2025. [Online: July 2025] doi: 10.1109/JIOT.2025.3589219