As we continue our coverage of the ongoing CDK cyberattacks, which began last week, Chris Walsh, the President of Reynolds & Reynolds, shares his perspective on the incident and what it means for the industry.
Takeaways
- Walsh emphasized that the scale of the CDK cyber attack is unprecedented in the automotive industry, impacting virtually all CDK customers. He emphasized the widespread disruption, pointing out that many dealers had completely closed, significantly impacting consumers in need of vehicle services.
- Reynolds & Reynolds has been proactively focusing on cybersecurity for over two years, which was marked by their acquisition of Proton, a leader in cybersecurity and IT infrastructure. Walsh mentioned their comprehensive security operation center and ongoing security training for their associates.
- However, Walsh underscored the need for industry-wide vigilance and collaboration in response to such cyber threats. He mentioned that despite the competition, all players in the industry must support each other in these times. Reynolds & Reynolds has been offering assistance to CDK customers where possible, highlighting the importance of collective resilience. He asserts, “This incident is one where you put the competition aspect of business aside… We certainly want CDK to get up and running soon.”
Check out our full coverage of the CDK cyberattack here.
"The first thing I thought was, what does it all mean? What was the scale of the incident? It didn’t take long before we realized it was essentially affecting all CDK customers." - Chris Walsh
