A major cyberattack on CDK Global, a leading software provider for car dealerships in North America, has caused widespread disruptions to businesses across the US and Canada. The attack began three days ago and has affected software management tools at thousands of dealerships, crippling sales, financing, and payroll systems.
CDK Global is a crucial backbone for car dealerships from a technology standpoint. The company provides essential software handling sales, inventory, billing, and communication. With CDK's systems down for an extended period of time, dealers have been forced to revert to manual methods of doing business.
The hacking group behind the attack is believed to be based in eastern Europe. According to reports from various sources, including Bloomberg and USA Today, the group has demanded tens of millions of dollars in ransom from CDK Global. The company is reportedly planning to make the payment but discussions are ongoing.
The cyberattack has affected approximately 15,000 car dealerships across North America. Some industry analysts suggest that while car sales may not be significantly disrupted, service departments are running on skeleton crews due to the outage and technician shortages. Service centers outside of dealerships have reported an increase in business as a result.
Dealers and shoppers alike are facing challenges as a result of the cyberattack. Car sales may be delayed, while some dealerships have had to resort to manual methods for record-keeping and communication. The situation remains fluid, with CDK Global continuing its investigation into the incident.
