There is a significant dealership cybersecurity vulnerability that is either ignored or unnoticed by many. This is a major problem as we continue to see an increase in the frequency and severity of cyberattacks aimed at dealerships. It’s important to remember that cybercriminals don’t care if you are large or small. Cybercriminals are opportunists. They … Read more
Article in Wards Auto about cyberattacks targeting dealerships Regarding cyberattacks targeting dealerships Erik Nachbahr commented that “a good start is to know as much about your IT system as you do about other aspects of the business.” Information technology “is the only area in a dealership business that the executive leadership tends to not understand exactly … Read more
Network security continuously evolves. But one thing remains constant – the importance of protecting identities and access. Traditionally, network perimeters served as the frontline defense, but with the rise of cloud computing, remote work, and mobile devices, the focus has shifted towards ID Access Management (IAM). For dealerships leveraging a multitude of applications, ID Access Management presents … Read more
Dealership employees seek the flexibility to work from anywhere. While mobile devices offer this flexibility, they also increase the dealership’s attack surface, providing cybercriminals with an easily exploitable entry point into the dealership’s network. Currently, mobile devices account for more than 60 percent of digital fraud, and one in three organizations has experienced a data … Read more
To effectively protect your dealership from the cybercriminal, every employee must play a role. One of the most effective tactics within a comprehensive information security program is to fortify your defenses by creating a human firewall. The development of a human firewall is accomplished through an effective employee cybersecurity awareness training program. Such a program … Read more
To mitigate the risk of a successful, cyberattack, dealerships must address the most common sources of an attack—unpatched security vulnerabilities, human error, and malware. In this blog, we’re going to focus on the human error component. According to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigation Report, nearly three-quarters of data breaches involve the actions of individuals … Read more
The FTC Safeguards Rule mandates that dealerships must “develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security program.” The Rule illustrates the FTC’s commitment to compelling businesses to establish an effective cyber defense to protect consumer information. However, many dealerships are simply concentrating their compliance efforts on isolated measures that alone fall short of constituting a … Read more
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Safeguards Rule and cyber liability insurance requirements are putting immense pressure on auto dealerships to secure their sensitive data. Seeking an easy, inexpensive solution, many have been tempted by the allure of a “magic pill.” But here’s the stark truth: there is no such thing. A prime example of this … Read more
Update, October 2026: Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, and paid Extended Security Updates Year 1 for business PCs ends October 13, 2026. For current dates, costs, and a store-by-store plan, read our Windows 10 Extended Security Updates action plan for dealerships. Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on … Read more