Cyberattack Hits Software Provider for Car Dealers Across the U.S.

CDK Global, a major software provider for auto dealers across the U.S., halted much of its systems for hours Wednesday while the company investigated a cybersecurity incident.

The company “shut all systems down and executed extensive testing and consulted with external third-party experts,” Tony Macrito, a CDK spokesman, said in an email. The company’s core product — a dealer management system — and its digital retailing solutions have been restored, and CDK is testing all other applications and will provide updates as it brings them back online, Macrito said.

CDK works with almost 15,000 dealerships, supporting front-office salespeople, back-office support staff and repair shops, according to its website.

Investment company Brookfield Business Partners agreed to buy CDK in an all-cash deal with an equity value of $6.4 billion in April 2022.

Top photo: Lt. Mike Baute from Florida’s Child Predator CyberCrime Unit talks with people on instant messenger during the unveiling of a new CyberCrimes office March 7, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One of the people on the other side of the chat told Lt. Baute, who is saying he is a 14-year-old girl, that he is a 31-year-old male and sent him a photograph of himself. According to current statistics, more than 77 million children regularly use the Internet. The Federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force says Florida ranks fourth in the nation in volume of child pornography. Nationally, one in seven children between the ages of 10 and 17 have been solicited online by a sexual predator. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images).