Following a cyberattack on CDK Global Inc., a leading provider of software solutions to car dealerships across North America, the company had to take its systems offline. This disruption has significantly affected car sales operations in the region.

The attack occurred early in the morning, with systems becoming non-functional at around 2 a.m. EDT. Although there is no official statement from CDK Global, a spokesperson conveyed via email to media outlets that the company has undertaken extensive testing and consulted with external cybersecurity experts. The company reported that core dealer management systems and digital retailing solutions have been restored, with additional applications still undergoing tests before they can be brought back online.

Founded in 2014, CDK Global serves the automotive, heavy truck, recreation, and heavy equipment industries. Their software is utilized at over 15,000 dealer locations across North America and the company employs more than 6,500 people.

The disruption appears to be widespread. According to input from Brad Holton, CEO of Proton Dealership IT, CDK Global had to take two data centers offline and advised users to disconnect to prevent the spread of potential threats. The software outage prompted car dealerships in the U.S. and Canada to manually write up orders and postpone already scheduled transactions during the prime car buying season.

While detailed specifics of the cyberattack remain scarce, it is suspected to be a ransomware attack. The immediate shutdown of data centers by CDK suggests an effort to stop the attack from spreading further within their network.

Source: Cyberattack on CDK Global disrupts car sales in North America.