Welcome to the Daily 5 report for Thursday, June 19.
It's hard to believe it's already been a year since the CDK Global cyberattacks crippled the dealership management systems at about half of U.S. auto dealerships for more than two weeks. This was likely the worst-known cyberattack in automotive history and it threatened broader damage to the U.S. economy.
It could have been worse and it could have lasted far longer. We may never know the whole story. Our one-year-later coverage today delves into the lessons learned along with updates on the litigation that stemmed from this mess.
To be sure, smart dealership groups did something to help protect themselves from future attacks. Others, not so much. Erik Nachbahr, president of cybersecurity firm Helion Technologies, told reporter Mark Hollmer that some dealerships and technology companies quickly went back to old habits. At the same time, he said, cybersecurity awareness surged.
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"We're seeing dealers be more aware of cybercrime," he said.
As for CDK, CEO Brian MacDonald said the company is stronger than ever.
"Thanks to the resilience of our team, the trust of our customers, and the support of our partners, we restored services faster than many organizations in similar situations," MacDonald said in a statement to Automotive News.
So a year later, it's clear that if dealerships aren't prepared for the next cyberattack, they better be ready to revert to hard forms, pencils and phone calls — and retain plenty of legal help.
Meanwhile, the mean-spirited rivalry between General Motors and Ford Motor Co. popped up again in this story by Kurt Nagl of Crain's Detroit Business, an Automotive News affiliate. Ford's $2.5 billion battery park under construction in Marshall, Mich., has faced opposition from some local residents and from anti-China activists because of its licensing relationship with Chinese supplier CATL.
Now sources tell Nagl that GM is lobbying for tighter rules on "foreign entities of concern." Such rules could threaten Ford's project.
Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford wouldn't name names, but he recently said: "We do know that others in our industry are trying to submarine [the project] to hurt us. That's just sour grapes, frankly."
That's it for now. Have a great rest of your day.
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— Philip Nussel, online editor
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