Dealership software cyber attack

Disruptions are so widespread, the problems expected are probably not even fully realized yet. Wondering what the motivation for this would be.
https://www.axios.com/2024/06/21/cdk-cyber-attack-hits-auto-dealerships-outages

 

Its not easy for business with basic equipment to survive. There are so many companies like that you can bring down in seconds.
Some sites will allow to change the price and buy stuff for fraction of the price. So many things out there like that.
I think some very talented people can remote login to vehicle and do some crazy stuff. I'm not their yet, not even close.

 

Ransomware is a lucrative business, so that would be my bet. The health care industry and local governments have been hit really hard in the last few years.

 

Heard this was hitting heavy truck centers also.

 

Ransomware. That's the motivation. It could be China/Russia/North Korea attacking random companies for financial gain. I've been in IT for 25yrs and the main cyber attacks come from those countries, and Jakarta.

Jakarta is know for brute force attack (DDOS), China & North Korea are big on ransomware. How do you think that Korean dude stays so fat?

 

McDonalds? Like the rest of the world? It ain't fish and rice.

 

Wanted to bring in my 4runner for a wheel balancing but the Toyota service advisor was like the breach has delayed everything. All servers are down and everything is being punched in manually. A simple oil change is taking over 3 hours due to chaos.
I get things down off the record so he just could not squeeze me in due to delays.

 

Do you think its really from different countries? Or its just people using an IP from a different location? I wonder if they can really track my location or not when I select a different location?

 

Google can, and does. They are very well known for data mining. They call it "Google Analytics", but it's just data hoarding. Everyone gives it up willingly by the way.

Google can track you if you use your own Google account when surfing with a VPN. So if your account is kmeeg@gmail.com and you don’t log out of it when using a VPN, nothing changes with regards to Google tracking. The web giant may not know your IP, but all the activity that’s tied to your account can be tracked as easily as if you didn’t have a VPN.

That applies to any web service that you need to log into. Pinterest cares less about tracking your IP than it does about connecting all the things you do on Pinterest.


FYI, the government can track you and will, if given sufficient reason. But it's rare that they go after the casual user. But if you break a serious law, they will find a way.

 

Ive been unplugging my wi-fi for a half hour just to throw them off?

 

They control my TV volumes, my wi fi thermostat?

But my eletric bill was only $80.

 

You have right idea but this is what you should do instead.

Step 1: Clean up your computer, tablets, and phones from tracking data. Most browsers under settings have a privacy tab. There you can use "clear all data" option. For PC, you can also use BleachBit or CCleaner. Keep in mind, you will likely have to re-log into all your sites.

Step 2: Add _nomap to your WiFi router name, this will signal opt-out to Google and Apple from geolocating it. Keep in mind, you will have to rejoin all your devices.

Step 3: Regularly get a new IP address. How to get this done depends on type of connection you have, but typically powering off your modem (often built into your router) for 30 minutes will do that. There are websites, like https://www.whatismyip.com/ that will show your external IP address, use them to determine if you successfully changed your IP address.

Step 4: Install ad-blocker, I recommend uBLock Origin with Firefox and Adblock Plus with other browsers.

Step 5: Use a different browser for entertainment and communications. Don't log into FB, Google, etc. on your entertainment browser. This also means that you use bookmarks instead of follow for YouTube channels.

(advanced)

Step 6: Get a VMware and run VM to do all browsing. Use VPN as needed.

Step 7: Get noscript of similar and selectively block third-party Java

Step 8: Setup piehole or host file and redirect DNS lookups to local for a blacklist of trackers. There are good public lists available.

(paranoid)

Step 9: Get Tails or similar USB-boot distro and TOR or OpenVPN your web traffic.

Step 10: Do not use any Google services (e.g., gmail, vanilla Android phone, Google maps, Android Auto) for any reason.


Keep in mind, except for Step 9, there is little benefit of doing higher-number steps out of order. You need to complete all previous steps for it to work.

 

This is not limited to law breakers. For example, high mortality of Boeing whistleblowers is a meme at this point.

 

You're right. I agree. They will go after you if they simply don't like you or agree with you. The point I was trying to make was: A VPN only secures/hides some of your identity online.

 

Yes, VPN offers no benefit unless you also do multiple other things. Essentially, if your own device broadcasts your identity there is no point in VPN. It is like wearing a mask and a name tag, while others can't see your face they can just read your name off nametag.