In the coming months, grid operators will not allow new customers to request data from smart meters. This measure is necessary, because it has been shown that malicious parties need only little data to log in to certain web portals and to view data from smart meters.
According to the sector organization Netbeheer Nederland, the problem lies with so-called ODAs, independent service providers. These are companies that offer consumers services to monitor power consumption via the smart meter, but they are not network operators or energy suppliers themselves.
It is possible at those web portals to register as someone else, provided that the person has a smart meter. Portals usually only check on the name, address and EAN code of the gas and electricity meter. Those EAN codes are easy to find online. This makes it easy in theory to register yourself as someone else and according to Netbeheer Nederland, an unnamed journalist has done just that.
The fact that ODAs pose a risk was already known years ago after a risk analysis by TNO. It is unknown if and how many people have abused this method to see the energy consumption of others.