In today’s world, cybersecurity threats are an ever-present danger to dealerships, both large and small. The good news is that many dealerships are taking action to improve their cybersecurity posture and they’re implementing a variety of software, devices, and assessments in an attempt to protect their data, finances, and reputations. But unfortunately, this just isn’t enough.
Software like endpoint detection and response (EDR), extended detection and response (XDR), security information and event management (SIEM) and regular vulnerability assessments produce data that someone needs to make sense of and then act upon. The problem is that to realize the true value of an assessment or today’s modern cybersecurity technology you need qualified personnel to make sense of and prioritize the latest vulnerabilities and risks facing your dealership. The result of a vulnerability scan that no one can make sense of – and no one has the time to act upon – does nothing to protect your dealership.
What dealerships need is the continuous visibility into potential cybersecurity threats to their dealership and the expertise to comprehend, prioritize, and act on these threats. This is why regulators like the FTC require you to “utilize qualified information security personnel.”
Absent technical cybersecurity expertise, your dealership’s implementation of cybersecurity technologies and ongoing assessments will simply result in you being inundated with a river of alerts to drown in. The sheer number of vulnerabilities and the frequency with which they are discovered will make it challenging to differentiate between those that are critical and those that are not. Furthermore, since cyberattack tactics change so frequently it becomes even more difficult to constantly assess, quantify, prioritize, and act on the most pressing risks to your dealership. In the end, alert fatigue will set in, and critical alerts will end up being ignored or missed.
The reality is that dealership IT is being forced to evolve by new government regulations – and even more so the cybersecurity threat. The average downtime from a successful cyberattack is now 3 weeks. The expense related to the inability to sell and service cars and trucks makes any FTC fine pale in comparison.
Dealerships must take a proactive and strategic approach to cybersecurity. This includes implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity program that includes modern cybersecurity technologies, regular assessments, and the expertise and capacity to assess, quantify, prioritize, and act on real threats.
