If you manage IT for a dealership group, you already know the pressure: multiple rooftops, demanding sales teams, guests streaming videos on your Wi-Fi, OEM digital tools multiplying by the month, and cyber threats evolving daily. You don’t have time for fragile networks, complicated hardware, or technology that needs constant babysitting. Enter Cisco Meraki — … Read more
“Dealership cybersecurity” probably sounds like a never-ending to-do list filled with confusing jargon, expensive tools, and compliance checkboxes. It’s easy to feel buried under what the experts from the Center for Internet Security (CIS) call “the fog of more.” More threats, more rules, more tools, more noise — and not enough clarity on what actually … Read more
Here’s something you may not know: security misconfiguration is behind 80% of cyber incidents today. That means the biggest risk to your dealership isn’t always some hacker running advanced tools in the dark web—it’s often the everyday settings inside your systems that were never properly locked down. And here’s the kicker: these oversights are one … Read more
For most, dealership IT, cybersecurity, and compliance operate in separate silos. Dealership IT keeps systems running, cybersecurity tries to defend them, and compliance checks boxes—often without real integration. The result? Gaps, vulnerabilities, and a false sense of security. In today’s environment, this siloed approach is no longer acceptable. Dealers face growing threats, stricter regulations, and … Read more
Let’s face it—no one ever said “You know what sounds fun? A deep dive into FTC cybersecurity compliance requirements.” But here we are, because like it or not, the success and survival of your dealership depend on more than just your sales team and service bay. Your cyber defense—and your ability to comply with the … Read more
If your dealership’s cybersecurity plan still revolves around scanning for patches and calling it a day, you’ve got a problem. A big one. Your dealership’s cyber defense is stuck in 2000, and that just doesn’t cut it anymore. The truth is, the way we defend our businesses from cyberattacks has completely changed — but many … Read more
It’s been nearly a year since the devastating CDK Global cyberattack brought operations at thousands of dealerships to a halt—and yet, here we are again. Same criminal group. Same playbook. Different victim. The CDK Hackers just proved you haven’t learned a thing. In late April 2025, Branhaven Motors Inc., a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealership in Branford, Connecticut, … Read more
A June 26, 2025 Automotive News article revisits the devastating CDK cyberattacks that struck in mid-2024, shutting down access to dealership management systems for over 15,000 auto retailers. The breach paralyzed operations, forced dealers to revert to pen-and-paper processes, and resulted in an estimated 50,000 lost vehicle sales. Despite the $1 billion in revenue losses … Read more
If you’re a dealership manager without an IT background, you’re not alone—and you’re not off the hook either. You don’t need to know how to configure a firewall or install an endpoint agent, but you do need to know whether your IT and cybersecurity teams are doing their jobs. Why? Because if they aren’t, you’re … Read more