Creating A Human Firewall: Protecting Data

Human Firewall

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

Firewall & Antivirus Software Isn’t Enough

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Many dealerships are under the impression that simply having a firewall and antivirus software deployed is a solid cyber defense – they’re incorrect.  Cybercrime is now big, big business and it’s rare that the cybercriminal is ever caught and prosecuted.  As a result, cybercrime has attracted highly sophisticated and well-funded criminals into this lucrative industry.  … Read more

The California Privacy Rights Act Passes – CCPA 2.0

cpra-transparent

The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) passed on November 3, 2020.  This new law amends the existing California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and it significantly strengthens this legislation. One addition brought about by passage of the CPRA is the creation of a new government agency called the California Privacy Protection Agency which is “vested with … Read more

Colorado Auto & Truck Dealers’ Blueprint for Consumer Privacy

Car salesman working on computer

When Colorado’s state legislature introduced their current consumer data privacy law back in 2018, it was hailed as one of the strictest in the country. Now that assessment feels quaint, as dozens of other states have passed — or are working on — data privacy laws that equal or surpass Colorado’s in terms of toughness. 

Still, Colorado’s law — officially known as House Bill 18-1128 — places the burden of consumer privacy squarely on businesses, and opens the door to fines and lawsuits for non-compliance. 

And, unlike other state laws such as California’s CCPA, the Colorado law doesn’t make any exemptions for small businesses. 

Auto and truck dealers are especially susceptible to cyber attacks and data breaches. Dealers in Colorado should familiarize themselves with the law, ensure they are in compliance, and if not, take steps to update their cybersecurity as quickly as possible.

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When it Comes to Consumer Privacy, what are Reasonable Measures?

Reasonable Measures Blog

Requirements in recent consumer data privacy laws are causing confusion and unnecessary expense for dealers. For example, on January 1st, the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) became law. The legislation requires companies to have “reasonable security” in place to protect sensitive consumer information. However, it fails to define what these reasonable measures are. As an … Read more

Helion’s Erik Nachbahr for WardsAuto: “Stricter Data Rules Help”

Helion’s President & Founder explains that while new data privacy laws are challenging for dealerships, they’re long overdue. “I understand the dealer perspective,” Nachbahr writes in an article for WardsAuto. “Nobody wants to part with hundreds of thousands of dollars for what is perceived as an onerous new regulation.” But despite how truck and auto … Read more

How a Data Security Breach Could Sink Your Dealership

shipwreck underwater image

Let’s say there are only two Ford dealers in particular city, and both dealerships sell the same cars at virtually the same price. How do customers in the area choose which dealership to purchase from? As it turns out, the most likely deal-breaker in this scenario is reputation — 59% of consumers use it to … Read more

How To Build A Human Firewall

People forming a giant lock

Cyberattacks are on the rise. In the first six months of 2019, the number of data breaches has increased by 54% compared to the same period last year. As of July, more than 4.1 billion customer records have been exposed in approximately 3,800 publicly disclosed data breaches. If your dealership hasn’t already been targeted, chances … Read more

7 Tips for Auto Dealers to Prevent a Data Breach

Phone VPN

Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for an auto or truck retailer to collect sensitive customer information at numerous stages in the sales process, from financing to warranty management and beyond. However, most dealers aren’t thinking about data security on a day-to-day basis. When cybersecurity ends up on the back burner, that sensitive data can be put at … Read more