Car dealerships in North America are reeling from the impact of consecutive cyberattacks on system provider CDK Global. The company has been forced to close its dealership management systems for two days in a row after being targeted by hackers.
CDK Global, which caters to nearly 15,000 car dealerships across North America, faced the first cyberattack early on a Wednesday morning. This initial attack led to the shutdown of essential systems utilized by dealerships to carry out their daily operations. Following this, a second cyber incident occurred later that same evening, prompting CDK to take proactive measures to protect its customers by shutting down most systems once again.
The company informed its customers of the situation and mentioned that it was assessing the impact of the cyberattacks. CDK also stated that it was seeking advice from experts on how to address the issue but could not provide an exact timeline for when the systems would be restored.
CDK Global offers various services to dealerships, including online appointment scheduling, messaging tools, and e-signing capabilities. The company not only serves car dealerships but also collaborates with over 1,000 heavy truck locations across the continent.
In response to the cyber incident, a BMW store in Manhattan disclosed to customers that all new business activities, such as car servicing and appointment scheduling, had been paused. Similarly, a dealership in Philadelphia reported that its staff were unable to access customer records or print repair orders due to the cyberattack.
This attack on CDK follows a similar cybersecurity breach at Findlay Automotive Group earlier in the month. The group confirmed that locations across five U.S. states were impacted by the breach, leading to disruptions in sales and service operations while dealerships remained open.
The automotive industry continues to grapple with cybersecurity challenges as cyberattacks on service providers like CDK Global highlight the vulnerabilities within the sector. As companies strive to enhance their cybersecurity measures, the impact of such incidents on dealerships and customers underscores the importance of robust data protection protocols in the digital age.