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
Auto dealerships have become prime targets for cyberattacks. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into every aspect of selling and servicing cars and trucks, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been more critical. While many dealerships rely on traditional security controls like firewalls, vulnerability scans, and endpoint tools, these alone are not sufficient to … 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
As the incidence, severity, and sophistication of today’s cyber threats continues to grow, the appropriate use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) is becoming increasingly important. Add to this that new government regulations – like the FTC Safeguards Rule – now requires that businesses implement MFA. The result is a lot of confusion, inefficiency, and quite frankly … Read more
The point at which the cybercriminal emerges and demands ransom is the endgame of a cyber-attack – not the beginning. The key to minimizing – or even eliminating – the impact that a cyber-attack can have on your dealership is to detect the attack early in its lifecycle. To do this you need the right … Read more
When it comes to cybercrime, it’s important to realize that this threat has the potential to not only damage your ability to generate revenue but also to punch a gaping hole in your dealership’s reputation. Remember, when it comes to buying cars, 84% of those surveyed said that they would NOT buy from a dealership … Read more
Let’s start by describing an endpoint. Endpoints are the devices used by employees to access organizational resources like applications, files, email, etc. For most dealers, endpoints are workstations (i.e., PCs) or servers. Endpoints are one of the most common points of attack that a cybercriminal uses to access your network. Now that you know what … Read more
Unfortunately, many businesses have not properly invested in the cybersecurity best practices that are required to effectively defend against a cyberattack. For many businesses, their defense of choice has been either to: Bury their heads in the sand and hope the cybercriminal stays away. Get cyber insurance and just pass the risk onto the insurer. … Read more
According to the Harvard Business Review, in 2020 ransomware attacks grew 150% from 2019 and the amount that victims paid increased by more than 300%! As a result of the ransomware onslaught, we are all exposed to what feels like a constant stream of ransomware related horror stories. And, unfortunately, the reality is that for … Read more