Car Dealerships Stall as CDK Global Cyberattack Grinds Operations to a Halt

Car dealerships across the US and Canada have screeched to a halt thanks to a cyberattack crippling CDK Global, a major provider of their dealership management software. This digital pitstop has thrown a wrench into daily operations, leaving dealerships struggling to navigate sales, customer service, and even vehicle repairs.

The chaos began on Tuesday, June 18th, when CDK Global detected a cyber incident. To contain the issue and protect their systems, they were forced to shut down most functionalities. While a glimmer of hope emerged on Wednesday with the restoration of some systems, those cheers were short-lived. A second cyberattack later that day pushed CDK to slam the brakes once again, leaving dealerships in a state of uncertainty as of June 20th.

The impact of this attack is widespread, affecting an estimated 15,000 dealerships. Sales have stalled due to inaccessible sales and financing systems. Customer service has become a bumpy ride as communication channels and customer records are hampered. Even service departments are feeling the tremors, potentially facing difficulties managing appointments and repair orders. This translates to potential delays and disruptions for car shoppers, from drawn-out purchases to postponed service appointments.

CDK Global is working diligently alongside cybersecurity experts to diagnose the issue, patch the vulnerabilities, and get these dealerships back on the road. The cause of the cyberattack remains undisclosed, and the full extent of the damage, along with the timeframe for recovery, is still up in the air. This situation highlights the critical role technology plays in modern dealerships and the potential pitfalls when those systems are compromised.

More information on this situation can be found here.