A recent Automotive News article detailed a cybersecurity incident involving CarGurus in which a hacking group exposed more than 1.7 million corporate records, along with over 400,000 customer email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses in a separate CarMax-related data breach incident. According to reporting, the CarGurus data breach may include dealership account information and … Read more
If 2024 was the year of AI curiosity and 2025 was the year of experimentation, many industry observers believe 2026 may become the first true operations year for dealerships using AI. Conversations across the industry point to full AI integration moving from “nice to have” to “strategic priority.” And it makes sense. Dealerships using AI … Read more
Buying a dealership is exciting. New rooftops. New markets. New revenue opportunities. But from a dealership cybersecurity perspective, it’s also one of the most vulnerable moments in your organization’s lifecycle. Cybercriminals know it. And they plan around it. When a dealership acquires another store, leadership attention shifts to contracts, financing, staffing, and system integration. Meanwhile, … Read more
Running dealership IT today is far more complex than it was even a few years ago. Between keeping systems running, supporting employees, meeting compliance requirements, and defending against constantly evolving cyber threats, internal IT teams are under more pressure than ever. Not sure which model fits your stores? Compare in-house, managed and co-managed IT. That’s … Read more
In Cybersecurity tools getting boost from AI, Automotive News reports that as thousands of dealers prepare for the upcoming NADA Show in Las Vegas, cybersecurity is firmly top of mind—driven by growing regulatory pressure under the FTC Safeguards Rule and the rapidly increasing sophistication of cyber threats facing dealerships. The article highlights how artificial intelligence is … Read more
The shock of the 2024 CDK ransomware attack may be fading, but its impact is still shaping dealership cybersecurity. Frozen titles, dead sales systems, handwritten forms, and millions in lost revenue reminded everyone just how dependent dealerships are on their DMS—and how quickly operations collapse when cybercriminals find a way in. Here’s how to build … Read more
A recent Automotive News article titled “AI for good battles AI used in dealership cybercrime” (Nov. 26, 2025) highlights a stark reality for today’s auto and truck dealers: the cybersecurity threat landscape is evolving too quickly for in-house IT teams to manage alone. And few people have been sounding that alarm longer than Erik Nachbahr, … Read more
Auto and truck dealerships are facing a new wave of AI-powered cyberattacks — threats that don’t sleep, don’t take days off, and don’t wait for an IT ticket before they adapt. The rise of autonomous, AI-powered cyberattacks has changed the game. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most dealerships aren’t prepared for what this next wave … Read more
If you’ve ever said, “Our IT team handles cybersecurity,” this blog is for you. In dealerships, it’s easy to lump “technology stuff” into one big bucket. Computers, networks, passwords, malware… it all feels related, right? Well—kind of. Dealership IT and dealership cybersecurity absolutely work together, but they’re built for very different missions. Think of it … Read more