DMS and CRM access review
Every user on your DMS, CRM, email, and lender portals matched to payroll, with leftovers removed.
The Problem
Your Store Runs on One System, and Everyone Shares the Login
It shows up when the DMS vendor goes offline, a caller claiming to be DMS support asks for remote access, or a former salesperson's CRM login still works.
Desk login
Every salesperson at the desk uses one DMS login.
Desk login
Named DMS accounts for each salesperson, with MFA where the DMS supports it.
Leftover access
Former salespeople still open the CRM from their phones.
Leftover access
A user review against payroll, with leavers removed the day they go.
Fake support
A caller claiming to be DMS support asks for remote access.
Fake support
A callback rule: support requests get verified through a number you already have.
Paper panic
Nobody knows the manual process when the DMS stops.
Paper panic
A written downtime playbook for deals, repair orders, and parts, kept at every desk.
The sales desk shares one DMS login, and two salespeople who left in the spring still open the CRM from their phones. The F&I office PC keeps credit applications in its downloads folder, with nothing but free antivirus on it. Service advisors write ROs on tablets nobody manages. When a DMS outage stops deals cold, nobody knows the paper process, and a caller posing as vendor support offers to help. Leave it, and the next dealership cyber attack costs you a week of sales and your customers' financing data.
We start with who can reach the DMS, the CRM, and lender portals, because shared and leftover logins let one phished password reach every deal. Every user gets a named account and MFA where the system supports it, and desk, F&I, and service PCs get managed endpoint protection. Then we write the downtime playbook and the callback rule. When the DMS stops, your team keeps writing deals instead of waiting.
Named logins on DMS and CRM
Shared desk logins replaced and former employees removed from every system that holds deals.
Protected desk and service PCs
Endpoint protection on showroom, F&I, and service lane computers, reporting to someone who watches.
Downtime playbook ready
Paper deal jackets, manual repair orders, and parts logs, so the store sells while systems are down.
Our Dealership Cyber Security Process
From Shared Logins to a Store That Can Run Offline in Five Steps
You approve the user list, the endpoint rollout, and the downtime playbook before anything changes. Work is scheduled around month-end and your busiest sales days.
We go over your DMS, CRM, lender portals, rooftops, and who handles IT today. You leave with a fixed quote and a short list of user exports to pull. If your IT provider already covers a gap well, we'll tell you before we quote.
What's Included
What You Get With Protection Against a Car Dealership Cyber Attack
Everything a store or dealer group needs to protect deals and customer data: an access review, endpoint protection, MFA, a downtime playbook, a callback rule, and staff training.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs Dealer IT provider vs DMS vendor tools
Your dealer IT provider and your DMS vendor's own security tools each handle part of the job, and each is the right call for some stores. The rows show the gaps between them.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Dealer IT provider | DMS vendor tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning | Free call, fixed written scope | Monthly contract, ticket-based | Bundled with the DMS contract |
| User review | DMS, CRM, email, and portals together | Email and Windows accounts | DMS users only |
| Endpoints | Every desk and service PC | Strong on day-to-day device care | Not covered |
| Downtime plan | Written playbook at every desk | Often missing or informal | Vendor status page and updates |
| Fake support calls | Callback rule and staff training | Depends on the provider | Warnings sent by email |
| Safeguards Rule items | Mapped in the findings report | Varies by provider | Covers DMS settings only |
| Cost | Fixed price from $800 | Ongoing monthly fee | Included or a low add-on |
| Ownership | Playbook and reports stay yours | Yours, if documented | Settings live in the DMS |
DeveloperLook
Dealer IT provider
- Planning
- DeveloperLook: Free call, fixed written scopeDealer IT provider: Monthly contract, ticket-based
- User review
- DeveloperLook: DMS, CRM, email, and portals togetherDealer IT provider: Email and Windows accounts
- Endpoints
- DeveloperLook: Every desk and service PCDealer IT provider: Strong on day-to-day device care
- Downtime plan
- DeveloperLook: Written playbook at every deskDealer IT provider: Often missing or informal
- Fake support calls
- DeveloperLook: Callback rule and staff trainingDealer IT provider: Depends on the provider
- Safeguards Rule items
- DeveloperLook: Mapped in the findings reportDealer IT provider: Varies by provider
- Cost
- DeveloperLook: Fixed price from $800Dealer IT provider: Ongoing monthly fee
- Ownership
- DeveloperLook: Playbook and reports stay yoursDealer IT provider: Yours, if documented
Projects We've Built
Automotive Websites and Apps We Have Designed
These car sales, rental, and automotive websites and apps were design and build projects for automotive brands, not security engagements. They show we know how dealers sell online.
Carsova Automotive Website Design
- Automotive
- Dashboard
- Website
Voltz Automotive Website Design
- Automotive
- Booking System
- Dashboard
Carent Automotive Website Design
- Automotive
- Booking System
- Dashboard
Autocar Automotive App Design
- Automotive
- Dashboard
- Mobile App
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built apps, platforms, and websites for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why Dealer Principals Trust Us With Their Store's Security
Stores run on month-end pushes, busy service lanes, and thin IT staff. We work around all three, so security work doesn't cost you a sales day.
Hands off month-end
We don't schedule rollouts in the last days of the month or on big sales weekends. Changes land when a missed login costs you the least.
Service lane included
Service and parts run on the same DMS as sales, so we secure advisor tablets and parts counter PCs too. The back of the store gets the same care as the showroom.
Callbacks over trust
CDK warned dealers about callers posing as its staff during the June 2024 outage. We teach every desk to hang up and call back on a known number.
Clear on what we certify
We map findings to the FTC Safeguards Rule, but your qualified individual and counsel decide compliance. We don't sell certificates or promise audit outcomes.
Fixed price per rooftop
You get one price for your rooftops, users, and devices before work starts. A new rooftop gets its own quote up front.
Works with your IT provider
Most stores already pay an IT provider, and we work beside them rather than replacing them. They keep the devices, and you get the gaps closed.
Overview
What does dealership cyber security cover for a car dealer?
DeveloperLook provides dealership cyber security for franchise and independent car dealers. We review DMS, CRM, and portal users, roll out endpoint protection, add MFA, and write a DMS downtime playbook. Sales, F&I, and service staff get training. Projects start at $800 and take 1 to 6 weeks at a fixed price.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Dealership Cyber Security
- Service
- Dealership Cyber Security (access review, endpoint protection, downtime playbook, staff training)
- Typical timeline
- 1 to 2 weeks for one rooftop, 3 to 6 weeks for a group
- Platforms
- CDK Drive, Reynolds and Reynolds, Dealertrack, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace
- Built with
- FTC Safeguards Rule (16 CFR 314), managed endpoint protection, MFA, and callback procedures
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30 days of support after handover
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $800 USD, fixed scope after a free dealer call
Reviewed 27 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Single-point franchise dealers
Your store lost days of sales during the 2024 DMS outage, and your OEM now asks what you have changed since then.
Independent used car dealers
You arrange financing or run buy-here-pay-here, so the FTC Safeguards Rule applies, and your one IT person is also the finance manager.
Dealer groups with several rooftops
Your rooftops each set up IT on their own, so logins, devices, and backups look different at every store in the group.
Service-heavy stores and collision centers
Your service lane runs on tablets and shared PCs, and an attack there would stop repair orders and parts sales at once.
IT providers serving dealerships
You manage IT for several dealers and want a DMS-aware security project delivered under your brand, with the dealer principal signing off.
Not a fit
Need the full Safeguards program
You need the complete written security program, a qualified individual setup, and yearly board reporting. FTC Safeguards Rule Compliance covers that in more depth.
Need ongoing monitoring
You want someone watching endpoint alerts around the clock every month. Managed Endpoint Security fits ongoing monitoring better than this project.
Active incident right now
Your systems are encrypted today, or a payment just went to a fraudster. Call Incident Response Services first, then come back for this project.
Budget under $800
You have one small lot, 2 computers, and under $800 to spend. Cybersecurity Services for Small Business is a cheaper place to start.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Dealership Cyber Security
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on rooftops, users, and computers, and you get a fixed proposal after a free dealer call.
For Agencies
White-Label Dealership Security for IT Providers and Agencies
You own the dealer relationship and the monthly contract. We supply the project behind it: access reviews, endpoint rollouts, downtime playbooks, and staff training, delivered in your branding for the dealer principal to approve.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
Your clientSees only your brand
You, the agencyOwn the relationship
DeveloperLookBehind your brand
Send the store details
Share rooftops, DMS, and device counts, and we scope it in 2 business days.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We quote and staff
A fixed white-label price per rooftop, with one named lead for the project.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Delivered in your branding
Playbook, reports, and training records arrive ready for the dealer principal's sign-off.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Send the store details
Share rooftops, DMS, and device counts, and we scope it in 2 business days.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We quote and staff
A fixed white-label price per rooftop, with one named lead for the project.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Delivered in your branding
Playbook, reports, and training records arrive ready for the dealer principal's sign-off.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
These are the dealership systems and security tools where deals, credit applications, and repair orders live. We secure what your store already runs before adding anything new.
- CDK Drive
- Reynolds and Reynolds
- Dealertrack
- Dealer CRM
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
- Okta
- 1Password
- Managed endpoint protection
- Fortinet
- Ubiquiti
- Veeam
- FTC Safeguards Rule
- Downtime playbook
Google Sheets- Training records
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Related Services
Dealers that finish this work often add a full Safeguards Rule program, ongoing endpoint monitoring, or phishing tests. Each page below covers one of them.
Cybersecurity Services
DeveloperLook provides cybersecurity services for businesses without a security team. We assess identity, email, devices, cloud, and web apps, fix the gaps you approve, and recheck every fix, so you get a cybersecurity service provider that does the work.
FTC Safeguards Rule Compliance
DeveloperLook provides FTC Safeguards Rule compliance for auto dealers, lenders, and other non-bank financial businesses. We check whether the rule applies, map customer data, and put each required safeguard in place, from MFA to the FTC breach notice.
Managed Endpoint Security
DeveloperLook provides managed endpoint security for businesses whose laptops and servers run a patchy mix of antivirus. We find every unprotected device, handle the EDR deployment, enforce hardening rules, and report coverage every month.This page
Dealership Cyber Security
Pairs with the 6 services around it
Incident Response Plan Development
DeveloperLook provides incident response plan development for growing companies. We write the roles, first-hour checklist, and playbooks for your likeliest incidents, following the NIST incident response plan guidance, and set a testing schedule you can keep.
Phishing Simulation Services
DeveloperLook runs phishing simulation services for HR and IT teams. We send authorized simulated phishing tests built from the scams your staff really receive, check that reporting works, and share results by department, not a list of names.
Car Dealer Website Design
DeveloperLook offers car dealer website design for independent and used-car dealers. We build inventory pages from your feed, trade-in and credit forms, and lead delivery to your CRM, so your dealership website design sells cars instead of just listing them.FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on cost, timing, the 2024 DMS outage, endpoints, and the FTC Safeguards Rule.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
DeveloperLook's dealership work starts at $800 for a rooftop security check. That covers the user review, MFA coverage, a PC inventory, a downtime playbook, and a Safeguards gap list. Hardening one store with endpoint protection, MFA, and training costs $2,200, and groups of up to 5 rooftops start at $4,600. Endpoint protection licenses are billed separately by the vendor.
One rooftop takes 1 to 2 weeks, and a dealer group takes 3 to 6 weeks. Endpoint rollouts and user changes are scheduled away from month-end, which can add a few days. The downtime playbook is usually ready in the first week, so the store is covered early.
Yes. On June 19, 2024, attackers took down CDK Global's dealer management system, which runs sales, F&I, and service at thousands of US and Canadian stores. AP reported dealers going back to pen and paper, and CDK said in Bloomberg's coverage that substantially all dealers were reconnected by July 2.
About 15,000, the approximate number of dealerships CDK Global serves, according to the company and news coverage at the time. Not every store lost every function, since some ran parts of the business on workarounds or other systems. Dealers on other DMS platforms weren't part of that outage, but the same risk applies to any store that depends on one hosted system.
Deals, repair orders, and parts sales stop or slow down when the DMS and CRM go offline. Funding can stall when lender portals and credit applications can't be reached, and customers' financing data may be exposed. A written downtime playbook keeps sales and service moving while the systems come back.
Start with named logins and MFA, because a shared desk login lets one phished password reach every deal. Then remove former employees from the DMS and CRM, protect every desk PC, and teach staff to verify support calls through a known number. Those steps close the common doors attackers use at a store.
The best cybersecurity service for car dealership endpoints is managed protection that someone actually watches, on every desk, F&I, office, and service lane PC. Basic antivirus can miss an attacker working by hand, so alerts must reach a person. We roll it out and route alerts to your IT provider or to Managed Endpoint Security.
Yes, for most dealers that arrange financing or lease vehicles for more than 90 days, according to the FTC's 2025 guidance for auto dealers. Those dealers need a written security program, a qualified individual, MFA, encryption, and yearly penetration tests with scans every 6 months unless they monitor continuously. Our report maps your gaps to those items.
No, we work beside your IT provider rather than replacing them. Too much of the cyber security car dealerships buy stops at antivirus and a firewall. We add the access review, playbook, and training your provider may not cover. They keep running devices day to day, and we hand them the findings.
Your qualified individual or IT provider does, using the user review checklist, the playbook, and the calendar we leave. The calendar sets dates to recheck DMS and CRM users after staff changes, rerun phishing training, test backups, and review the playbook with managers. We answer questions for 30 days after handover.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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