Ransomware attacks on automotive targets are up again in 2026. CDK was two years ago and dealers who went through it said it was the worst operational experience of their careers. Two years later most of the small and mid-size stores I know are still running the same level of cybersecurity they had before it happened.
The attackers know this. Dealerships are high-value targets because you hold customer financial data, you run DMS systems with inconsistent patch cycles, and your staff turnover means security training is perpetually behind. That is not a guess. That is why the attacks keep coming.
June 2, 2026 - 01:14
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Insurance costs in this…
Insurance costs in this space will be the end of the small mom and pop dealership. They won't be able to afford it, and it will drive them out of business. In 10 years if you don't have 6-10 rooftops, good luck paying for it.
We went through a DMS outage…
We went through a DMS outage last year, not CDK, a different vendor, and the OEM's response was essentially nothing. No communication protocol, no contingency support, no temporary manual process guidance. We were on our own for eleven days. The manufacturers collect our data constantly and the moment that infrastructure breaks they have zero accountability for what happens to us. That asymmetry does not get discussed enough.
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