CDK Global made significant strides in its cyberattack recovery efforts, bringing a second small group of dealer customers and a major public dealership group back online on June 27. The company is adopting a phased approach to restore its systems, ensuring gradual and secure reintegration.
In a statement, CDK Global confirmed, “We are continuing the phased approach to the restoration process. In addition to bringing a second small group of dealers live on the core DMS on June 28, one of our large public dealers is also live on the core DMS.” Although CDK did not disclose the public retailer’s identity, Automotive News confirmed it to be Group 1 Automotive.
In an updated statement, the company confirmed, “We anticipate all dealer connections will be live by late Wednesday, July 3, or early morning Thursday, July 4. Our Customer Care channels have also been restored, and customers can call, chat, or submit eCases if they need assistance.”
The cyberattack, which occurred on June 19, disrupted operations for several major publicly traded dealership groups. Five of the six largest franchised dealership groups—Asbury, AutoNation, Group 1, Lithia, and Sonic—rely on CDK as their primary dealership management system (DMS). Penske Automotive Group, however, stated it does not use CDK’s DMS for its franchised dealerships in the U.S. or the U.K., but does for its Premier Truck Group.
In addition to the core DMS, CDK is working to bring other critical applications back online, including CRM, One Eighty, and CDK Service. The company expects its customer care channels to be operational by late June 28.
This progress marks the second consecutive day CDK restored services to a small group of dealerships following the debilitating cyberattacks on June 19. Despite these advances, the financial impact of the shutdown is mounting. The Michigan-based Anderson Economic Group estimates that the ongoing outages could cost directly affected dealers nearly $1 billion if the disruption continues until the July 4 holiday weekend.
As the restoration process continues, CDK Global remains focused on mitigating the impact on its clients and addressing the growing number of lawsuits arising from the cyberattacks.
