SK Shieldus said on Jan. 26 it participated in the global security hacking conference Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 and succeeded in hacking a Grizzl-E electric vehicle charger.

Pwn2Own Automotive, held in Tokyo from Jan. 21 to 23, is a global security hacking conference that verifies vulnerabilities across vehicle-related systems, including automakers, in-vehicle infotainment systems and EV chargers.

SK Shieldus said it qualified to participate in Pwn2Own Automotive 2026 through results from its domestic white-hat hacker group EQST (Experts, Qualified Security Team). EQST found a security vulnerability in the Smart 40A model of a Grizzl-E EV charger designed, manufactured and supplied by Grizzl-E for home and commercial use.

The company said EV chargers are becoming core infrastructure linked to vehicles and networks, rather than simple power-supply equipment, as connections between vehicles and external infrastructure expand due to the spread of electrification, autonomous driving and connected technologies in the auto industry.

It said if EV chargers are hacked, various forms of damage could occur, including charger paralysis caused by ransomware, billing losses caused by payment manipulation, and battery overload risks from disruption to charging controls, raising the importance of security.

An SK Shieldus official said, "Through participation in Pwn2Own and the results, we confirmed that the importance of cybersecurity is growing further amid the auto industry's shift to electrification and software-focused transformation." The official added, "We will continue to contribute to raising cybersecurity levels across industries, based on experience accumulated by EQST on the global security research stage."