CDK Global, a prominent provider of software solutions for auto dealerships across the U.S., experienced a significant cyberattack, forcing the company to shut down most of its systems. This shutdown effectively crippled operations at around 15,000 car dealerships, including major clients such as General Motors and Group 1 Automotive. The company acted swiftly by disabling its systems as a precaution and began a thorough investigation into the incident.
The cyberattack began on Tuesday evening, as reported by Bleeping Computer, a cybersecurity news site. By Wednesday, CDK had started restoring some of its critical systems, including its core dealer management system and Digital Retailing solutions. CDK’s dealer management system is essential for dealership operations, allowing businesses to monitor and manage various tasks from a single interface, and its retail tools facilitate online and showroom transactions.
During the outage, dealership employees turned to unconventional methods to continue their operations. Many shared their experiences on Reddit, revealing they had to use spreadsheets and sticky notes to manage small transactions and repairs, while larger sales were halted. This disruption highlighted the heavy reliance of dealerships on CDK’s software for their day-to-day functions.
CDK Global emphasized its commitment to resolving the issue, working with third-party experts to ensure all systems are securely brought back online. The company, which prides itself on its cybersecurity capabilities, is conducting extensive tests to prevent future incidents. As the investigation progresses, the full scope of the attack and the identity of the perpetrators remain unknown.
