As most are aware, the automotive industry recently faced a significant data breach. If you are currently using the Client Command^® platform, your data is safe and accessible within the Client Command^® system. This breach raised concerns about the security of sensitive customer information held by dealerships across the globe. We know it’s scary, because no matter how incredible a cybersecurity program is, it doesn’t mean it will always prevent a data breach.

As the auto industry deals with the repercussions of the breach, we felt it necessary to help calm any nerves around data security as a whole and share specifically what we are doing at Client Command^® to protect dealer and consumer data. Using industry best practices to protect data, most breaches are preventable, and any damage associated with successful breaches can be minimized. Client Command^® is vigilant and will continue to evolve our data security to ensure that we minimize the risk of a data breach and secure dealer and consumer data alike.

While the data breach does not directly impact Client Command’s data or systems, we are closely monitoring the situation to learn and adapt our own protections to strengthen our cybersecurity systems.

• Our approach is “our employees are our best firewall.” Therefore, we require mandatory cybersecurity, privacy, social engineering, and phishing training for every employee every quarter.

• We’ve implemented an Information Security Program that is regularly reviewed and updated.

• We have implemented the Center for Internet Security (CIS) control framework to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of consumer data.

• We vet our third-party vendors and service providers against appropriate data security standards.

• We require our vendors and service providers to process consumer data in accordance with our robust Data Processing Agreements.

• We review and update our Data Inventory Maps routinely

• We maintain a Cyber Liability Insurance Policy.

• We regularly conduct penetration testing and vulnerability scanning.

1. The most effective and strongest firewall against potential data risks are your employees. Most breaches are caused by employee negligence due to insufficient education. We recommend you consider enrolling your employees in privacy and data security training with KnowB4 or OneTrust. It won’t fully prevent an employee from falling victim to a phishing scam or sharing their password, but it will reduce the risk by educating your employees on how to protect your dealership’s data.

2. Ensure you are choosing data partners with expertise in data management including privacy and data protection. Ask your data partners what they have in place to protect consumer and dealer data. If they are doing what they should to secure data, they will be able to provide a list of what they have implemented to mitigate data security risk.

There will always be bad actors out there, but our industry is vigilant and collaborative. The recent data breach underscores the importance of collaboration and preparedness in the face of cybersecurity threats. In an interconnected digital landscape, where data breaches can have far-reaching consequences, partnerships between automotive vendors and dealers alike are pivotal in ensuring rapid response and effective mitigation strategies.

By working together, we can help each other prevent and mitigate future breaches. Data privacy and security takes a village. Client Command^® is committed to doing our part to support the protection of consumers in the automotive industry alongside dealers, vendors, OEMS, and other partners.

If you’d like more information about Client Command’s security and privacy policies, or want to see Client Command’s products for yourself, visit us at clientcommand.com or give us a call at 888.786.6489.