Undocumented Radios in Highway Gear

Updated: 2025.10.14 7D ago 3 sources
The Federal Highway Administration warned that some foreign-made inverters and battery management systems used for signs, cameras, EV chargers, and other roadside infrastructure contain hidden cellular radios. Officials advised inventorying devices, running spectrum scans to detect unexpected communications, disabling/removing radios, and segmenting networks. This shifts infrastructure security from software-only checks to detecting covert RF channels in hardware. — Treating power electronics and batteries as potential comms backdoors reframes supply‑chain security and could drive new procurement rules and audits across critical infrastructure.

Sources

Satellites Are Leaking the World's Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data
msmash 2025.10.14 45% relevant
Both pieces surface hidden communications‑security risks in critical infrastructure: the article shows satellite backhaul leaking calls, texts, utility and military data without encryption; the existing idea exposes undisclosed radios in deployed highway equipment. Together they underscore governance gaps where paperwork and legacy practices mask real comms vulnerabilities.
Major US Online Retailers Remove Listings For Millions of Prohibited Chinese Electronics
BeauHD 2025.10.14 66% relevant
Both stories address U.S. policy responses to security risks from foreign-made electronics: previously, FHWA warned of hidden cellular radios in roadside equipment; here, the FCC forces retailers to remove prohibited Chinese devices (e.g., Hikvision cameras) and install processes to prevent re-listing on national‑security grounds.
US Warns Hidden Radios May Be Embedded In Solar-Powered Highway Infrastructure
BeauHD 2025.09.11 100% relevant
FHWA’s Aug. 20 advisory citing undocumented cellular radios found in certain foreign-manufactured inverters and BMS powering U.S. highway systems.
← Back to All Ideas