cybersecurity
Safeguarding consumer information has become paramount. With the rise of government data security regulations and the increasing incidence and severity of cybercrime, businesses are scrambling to improve their cyber defenses. An essential part of a comprehensive information security program is data encryption. However, the effectiveness of data encryption hinges on a factor often overlooked – … Read more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) mandates that dealerships – like any other business – have a “comprehensive information security program” in place to protect sensitive customer data. In this blog, we’ll delve into the critical aspects of vulnerability management, highlighting why a vulnerability scan – while valuable – is just the starting point and by … 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
Many dealerships have been falsely led to believe that FTC compliance can be satisfied with checklists and self-assessments completed by those with limited – if any – technical cybersecurity training and expertise. This is not the case and the consequences of this approach to cybersecurity, FTC compliance, and in securing cyber liability insurance can be … 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
Dealerships face challenges when it comes to securely receiving customer files. Often, employees ask customers to send files via text, email, or other unsecured methods. This will violate the new FTC Safeguards Rule’s regulations regarding the secure transfer, storage, and restricted access of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). However, there’s an easy solution to this problem … 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