Cyberattacks Disrupt Operations for Over 15,000 North American Car Dealerships

Car dealerships across North America are grappling with major disruptions following cyberattacks on CDK Global, a software provider essential for daily operations such as sales, financing, and repairs. The attacks, attributed to the BlackSuit hacking group, have forced many dealerships to revert to manual processes, including pen-and-paper methods, leading to significant operational delays. The outage affects around 15,000 dealerships and has caused delays in customer transactions, inventory management, and parts supply. Some dealerships are finding alternative methods to maintain operations, but the financial and operational impacts are expected to persist for an extended period. CDK Global is working with external experts to investigate the incident and restore systems, but no definitive timeline for resolution has been provided. The disruption comes during the peak summer selling season, exacerbating the challenges for both dealerships and consumers.