Car dealerships across the country are grappling with significant disruptions following cyberattacks last week that impacted a prominent software provider.
Prospective car buyers are experiencing delays at dealerships nationwide, where vehicle orders are being manually written due to the ongoing software outage.
CDK Global (CDK) has indicated that the restoration process could extend over several days, with no immediate resolution in sight, according to WFAA. CDK, which supplies software to numerous dealerships throughout the U.S. and Canada, was hit by multiple cyberattacks on June 19, resulting in an ongoing outage.
The cyberattacks on CDK continue to affect automotive dealerships across the nation, forcing many to resort to various antiquated methods to salvage sales operations. CDK, headquartered near Chicago, has shut down its systems as a precautionary measure, sparking widespread disruptions in the auto sales sector, according to ABC News.
Automotive groups like Stellantis, Ford, and BMW have independently acknowledged the impact on their dealership networks, with some also confirming shifts back to manual processes to complete car sales.
Group 1 Automotive Inc., a company valued at $4 billion with 202 dealerships across the country, has also been hit hard by the cyberattacks. The company disclosed that its U.S. operations relied on CDK’s systems, according to WFAA.
The full extent of financial losses and operational impacts from the cyberattacks are yet to be quantified as affected companies across the U.S. brace for any further security breaches.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Tarrant County chief appraiser has been meeting with local government bodies to outline plans for addressing security vulnerabilities after a recent ransomware attack compromised data from 300 people.
Following the attack on the Tarrant Appraisal District, where hackers demanded $700,000 to prevent the release of sensitive information, the cybercriminals allegedly released the stolen data through the “Dark Web” after the ransom deadline passed, per Fox 4 News.
Additionally, in February, pharmacies nationwide were unable to process prescriptions for over a week due to a ransomware attack orchestrated by hackers operating under the alias “Blackcat.”
According to a report from Astra Security, approximately 30,000 websites worldwide fall victim to hacking daily, with small businesses comprising 43% of these targeted attacks on average. Businesses worldwide are projected to face a staggering $10.5 trillion in costs due to cybercrime by 2025.
