CDK expects car dealership system outage to last until at least June 30

A major software provider for car dealerships said it hopes to begin restoring a limited number of systems by June 30 following a ransomware attack that has disrupted the operations of thousands of car dealers across North America.

CDK Global sent a letter to customers on Tuesday that said officials “do not believe that we will be able to get all dealers live” prior to the end of the month. 

“Should you need to make alternate plans for your month-end financial close process, you should do so,” the company said.

“To help keep your dealership working until the applications are recovered, please remember we’ve created a Dealer Resource Center that houses commonly used documents and forms to support your sales and service efforts,” CDK Global said.

Limited versions of digital tools — including platforms for retail services, payroll and vehicle repairs — are currently available, but the company warned that some of partners have disabled access, causing error messages. 

A spokesperson for CDK Global did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the update. Sources told Bloomberg last week  that CDK is negotiating with the ransomware gang behind the attack, which BleepingComputer later reported to be the BlackSuit group. According to Bloomberg, CDK is planning to pay the ransom, the amount of which was not disclosed. 

More than 15,000 car dealers across North America use CDK Global’s systems in nearly every aspect of their operations — including facilitating car sales, repairs, registration and more. 

Since the attack began last Tuesday, social media has been chock full of car dealership workers complaining about the ransomware attack damaging sales and operations. 

At least six car dealership companies have reported the attack to the SEC, warning that they are all facing disruptions and still do not know what, if any, data was accessed by the hackers.