Car Sales Halted by Extensive Computer System Failure

CDK Global, a key provider of management software for around 15,000 car dealerships across North America, has experienced a major cyberattack that has left its systems down for a second day, according to Automotive News.

This disruption has incapacitated the dealerships’ ability to access vital systems used for tracking car sales, viewing customer information, scheduling maintenance, and more.

On Wednesday, CDK informed dealerships that it was dealing with a “cyber incident” and had “proactively shut all systems down” to address the issue. While CDK managed to briefly restore its systems, they were shut down again hours later following another cyber incident.

During this downtime, many dealerships have reverted to manual methods. Teddy Morse, CEO of Ed Morse Automotive Group, stated that dealerships are using paper-based processes to continue operations, highlighting that technicians can still perform their jobs using traditional methods.

CDK has yet to disclose details about the nature of the cyberattack or the perpetrators involved. Lisa Finney, a spokesperson for CDK, told The Verge that the company is committed to reinstating services and resuming normal operations for their dealers as soon as possible.

The timeline for restoring full service remains unclear. A message to dealers obtained by Automotive News suggests that the outage could persist for “several days,” leaving dealerships in a state of uncertainty.

This incident underscores the remarkable impact a cyberattack can have on automotive businesses reliant on digital systems for their daily operations. As CDK continues its efforts to resolve the issue, dealerships are adapting to the temporary loss of their digital tools, highlighting the resilience and flexibility needed in the face of such disruptions.