For years, protecting a dealership’s network meant building a digital wall around it, but dealerships must shift to borderless cybersecurity to stay ahead of modern threats. Firewalls, endpoint security, and intrusion detection systems used to be the first line of defense, and they worked well when most people accessing the network were inside its borders. Trust was granted once you got through the gate.
However, the landscape has changed drastically, and this traditional perimeter defense is no longer enough to keep dealerships safe. With remote work, cloud services, and an increasing number of personal devices accessing dealership resources from everywhere, your network has become borderless. Trust can no longer be implicit; it must be earned at every access point. This shift requires rethinking how dealerships protect their digital infrastructure, focusing on identity as the new perimeter.
The Old Way: A Defined Perimeter
In the past, cybersecurity for dealerships was straightforward. Most resources were confined to the dealership’s physical network, and the primary concern was keeping threats out. Once someone was inside, they had broad access to systems and data. This made sense at the time, but today, this approach leaves dealerships vulnerable to a growing list of cyber threats.
The New Reality: Borderless Security
Today’s dealership network is spread far and wide. Employees log in from home, the road, or even the showroom floor, using personal smartphones, tablets, and laptops, all while connected to public or home networks. Dealerships are also increasingly reliant on cloud-based services and third-party vendors. In this borderless environment, it’s no longer possible to secure a defined network perimeter. Instead, security must revolve around validating the identity of every user at every access point, no matter where they are or what device they use.
Building Identity as the New Perimeter
To protect dealership networks in this new reality, the focus must shift to identity. Security needs to be about controlling who is accessing your systems and ensuring they’re authorized to do so, wherever they’re logging in from. Here are three key components of an identity-centric security model that every dealership should consider:
(1) Single Sign-On (SSO)
SSO simplifies login processes by allowing users to access multiple systems with just one set of credentials. For dealerships, this does more than reduce password fatigue—it dramatically reduces password-related attack vectors like phishing or credential stuffing. By integrating SSO with centralized directory services such as EntraID, dealerships can manage access more effectively across both on-premises and cloud environments.
Beyond convenience, SSO can be paired with conditional access policies that dynamically adjust security requirements based on a user’s device, location, or behavior. For example, additional verification steps may be required if someone logs in from an unusual location. This allows for flexibility without compromising security.
(2) Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Passwords alone aren’t enough. MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide not just something they know (password), but something they have (an authenticator app or hardware key) or something they are (biometrics).
Modern MFA tools also allow for adaptive authentication, meaning the system can assess risk in real-time and respond accordingly. If a login attempt seems suspicious—such as from an unfamiliar device or region—the system can automatically enforce stricter security measures, blocking access or requiring additional verification steps.
(3) Continuous Monitoring with SIEM
In an identity-centric security model, real-time monitoring of identity-based threats is critical. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions gather and analyze data from across the dealership’s network, including login attempts, privilege escalations, and user behaviors. By using machine learning to establish a baseline of normal activities, SIEMs can detect anomalies—like excessive failed login attempts or unauthorized access attempts—and trigger an immediate response.
SIEMs can also integrate with Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools, allowing dealerships to automatically disable compromised accounts, block suspicious IP addresses, or trigger alerts for their security teams to investigate further.
The Role of a Professionally Manned Security Operations Center (SOC)
A robust cybersecurity strategy doesn’t stop at just deploying tools. Dealerships must partner with a professionally manned Security Operations Center (SOC), staffed by highly trained technical experts. These cybersecurity specialists continuously monitor, detect, and respond to potential threats, proactively identifying vulnerabilities before cybercriminals can exploit them.
By combining the power of a SOC with well-trained cybersecurity professionals, dealerships can ensure they’re not only addressing current threats but also staying ahead of future risks. These experts have the experience and foresight to anticipate and counter emerging attack methods, keeping dealership systems, customer data, and financial information safe.
Why This Matters for Dealerships
Dealerships today handle a vast amount of sensitive customer and financial data, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. Shifting to a borderless security model based on identity validation helps safeguard this data by ensuring that only authorized individuals are accessing your systems, no matter where they are. It also helps with compliance, especially with regulations like the FTC’s Safeguards Rule, which requires dealerships to implement comprehensive data security programs.
