8 Tips to Protect Your Dealership from Hackers

Think your office technology dealership is too small for hackers to bother with? Think again. Despite having a strong IT services business, even one of the largest dealerships in the U.S. fell victim to an attack and had to pay a hefty ransom to regain access to its data. Other office technology dealerships across the U.S. have been similarly victimized. The inconvenient truth about those cyber-attacks is that the victims don’t want to discuss them on or off the record.

ConnectWise’s reported vulnerability issue in 2024 drove home a harsh reality: Even organizations with top-tier cybersecurity expertise are vulnerable. And for smaller dealerships, the risk is even greater. Why? Because they’re easier targets since they may not have the same security posture as larger organizations. Indeed, hackers go after businesses of all sizes for financial gain or to cause chaos.

The good news? Your dealership doesn’t have to be defenseless. Implementing basic cybersecurity measures can significantly reduce your risk. Here are eight essential steps to help safeguard your dealership from cyber threats.

1. Strengthen Passwords and Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

A simple yet most effective way to protect your dealership is by enforcing strong password policies. Weak passwords make it easy for hackers to gain unauthorized access to systems, emails, and financial accounts.

Best Practices

• Require passwords to be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.
• Use a password manager to store and generate complex passwords securely.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all critical accounts, such as email, financial systems, and cloud-based applications. MFA requires an additional verification step, making it harder for hackers to gain access even if they have a password.
  

  
  2. Educate Employees on Cybersecurity Awareness
  

  Your employees are your first line of defense against cyber threats. Hackers often use phishing emails, malicious links, and fraudulent phone calls to trick employees into revealing sensitive information.

Best Practices

• Conduct regular cybersecurity training to teach employees to recognize phishing attempts, suspicious links, and social engineering tactics.
• Encourage employees to verify unexpected emails or requests before clicking links or downloading attachments.
• Establish clear procedures for reporting suspicious activity or potential security incidents
  

  
  3. Strengthen Keep Software and Systems Updates

  Outdated software is one of the biggest security vulnerabilities. Cyber criminals exploit weaknesses in outdated operating systems, applications, and network equipment to access sensitive data.

Best Practices

• Regularly update all software, including operating systems, business applications, and security software.
• Enable automatic updates to ensure you’re always running the latest, most secure versions.
• Replace outdated hardware and software that no longer receives security updates or support from the manufactur

4. Secure Your Network and Devices

A compromised network can allow hackers to access your dealership’s internal systems and sensitive data. Implementing strong security measures can help prevent unauthorized access.

Best Practices

• Use a firewall and endpoint protection to block unauthorized access.
• Secure Wi-Fi networks with strong encryption (WPA3 or WPA2) and change default router passwords.
• Implement network segmentation to isolate critical systems from less secure devices.
• Restrict access to sensitive information based on job roles and responsibilities.
  

  
  5. Regularly Back Up Your Data and Test Recovery Plans

  Ransomware attacks are rising, and dealerships need a solid backup strategy to prevent data loss.

Best Practices

• Perform regular backups of critical business data and store copies in secure, offsite locations.
• Use both cloud-based and physical backup solutions for redundancy.
• Regularly test data recovery procedures to ensure that backups can be restored quickly and effectively in case of an attack or system failure.

While the five tips above provide a strong foundation, taking additional steps can further strengthen your dealership’s cybersecurity.

6. Limit Access to Sensitive Data

Not every employee needs access to every piece of company information. Implementing access controls ensures that only authorized personnel can view or modify sensitive data.

7. Monitor and Respond to Security Threats

Set up security monitoring tools to detect suspicious activities and potential breaches in real time. An incident response plan can help your dealership react swiftly to minimize damage from a cyber-attack.

8. Work with a Cybersecurity Expert

If your dealership doesn’t have an in-house IT team, consider working with a managed IT security provider. A cybersecurity expert can help assess vulnerabilities, implement sound practices, and monitor threats proactively.

Just Do It!

By implementing these cybersecurity best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of cyber-attacks, protect customer and business data, and maintain the trust of your clients. Secure your dealership today to stay ahead of cyber criminals and keep your business running smoothly.