‘I can’t get paid.’ Cyberattack affecting car dealerships brings chaos for sellers, buyers and workers

As the ongoing systems outage at software provider CDK Global stretches into its second week, car dealerships are racking up millions of dollars in losses, according to a new estimate.

As the ongoing systems outage at software provider CDK Global stretches into its second week, car dealerships are racking up millions of dollars in losses, according to a new estimate. Workers across the US automotive industry told CNN that the software blackout, which the company said was caused by a cyberattack, has made it difficult for dealers to track customer interactions, orders and sales, hurting their ability to earn a living. “It’s going to affect payroll here,” said Bernard Irvin, a salesperson at a Ford dealership in Greenville, South Carolina. “Why wouldn’t I receive my normal pay? I don’t really understand what this is all about.” The workers’ concerns illustrate how a cyberattack, even one on something as overlooked as record-keeping and scheduling software, can cripple an entire industry. According to an estimate by Anderson Economic Group, CDK’s system collapse could result in approximately $944 million in direct losses due to business interruptions for affected car dealers if the outage lasts a full three weeks. The outage began last Wednesday after two cyber incidents halted the company’s systems, which provide software to nearly 15,000 car dealerships across North America, according to CDK.