{"id":207854,"date":"2026-05-01T13:38:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T17:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/01\/ransomware-attacks-on-auto-industry-rise-cars-now-targets\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T15:45:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T19:45:13","slug":"ransomware-attacks-on-auto-industry-rise-cars-now-targets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/01\/ransomware-attacks-on-auto-industry-rise-cars-now-targets\/","title":{"rendered":"Ransomware attacks on auto industry rise, cars now targets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ransomware attacks on auto industry rise, cars now targets<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.cbtnews.com\/ransomware-attacks-on-auto-industry-rise\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-05-01 13:38:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.cbtnews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. Ransomware attacks more than doubled in 2025, and the targets now include the vehicles themselves, says a new report from cybersecurity firm Halcyon.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t On the Dash:<\/p>\n

Ransomware attacks on the auto industry more than doubled in 2025, accounting for 44% of all cyber incidents.
\nSuppliers are the weakest link, giving criminals a back door into OEM systems.
\nConnected vehicles are now a direct target, with attackers seizing remote control of individual cars.<\/p>\n

Ransomware attacks targeting the automotive sector more than doubled in 2025, according to a new report by cybersecurity firm Halcyon. Ransomware is a type of cyberattack in which criminals infiltrate a company\u2019s systems, encrypt its data, and demand payment to restore access.<\/p>\n

Those attacks made up almost half (44%) of all cyber incidents across the industry last year, the report found.<\/p>\n

The consequences have been severe. A ransomware attack halted all of Jaguar Land Rover\u2019s global production for more than three weeks last October, causing an estimated $2.5 billion in economic damage.<\/p>\n

Sign up for CBT News\u2019 daily newsletter and get the latest industry stories delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n

A year earlier, BlackSuit, a Russia-linked criminal organization, took down operations at approximately 15,000 dealerships for two weeks after attacking the industry\u2019s leading dealership management platform. The collective losses were estimated at $1 billion.<\/p>\n

Consumer data is also at risk. A compromised automotive IT provider in early 2025 exposed personal information on 2.7 million vehicle owners, including Social Security numbers.<\/p>\n

Why automakers and dealers are ransomware targets
\nCybersecurity analysts say criminals are targeting the auto industry for a simple reason: shutting it down is expensive.<\/p>\n

Automotive manufacturing runs on tight deadlines. When systems go down, the costs quickly add up. The math makes the auto industry one of the most attractive extortion targets for cybercriminals.<\/p>\n

The industry\u2019s rapid embrace of connected technology made the problem worse. Vehicle platforms, over-the-air software updates, and cloud-based systems all created new targets for the attackers.<\/p>\n

In 2025, attackers used telematics systems, cloud platforms, or APIs as their primary entry point in 67% of the incidents surveyed, according to Halcyon.<\/p>\n

Suppliers are the weakest link
\nMost automotive cyber incidents in 2024 hit third-party providers, not the OEMs themselves. Smaller suppliers often hold privileged access to OEM systems. They rarely have the cybersecurity budgets to match that access. Criminals know it.<\/p>\n

In early 2025, the criminal group Qilin stole more than 500GB of engineering blueprints and supplier agreements from a Japanese precision parts manufacturer. Separate incidents hit suppliers in Italy and Australia during the same period.<\/p>\n

Breaching a supplier can open a back door straight into an OEM\u2019s systems. The security is weaker. The access is real. And the potential damage runs up the entire supply chain.<\/p>\n

Connected cars at risk for cyberattacks
\nRansomware attacks are no longer limited to corporate networks and back-office systems. Criminals are coming for the vehicles themselves. As vehicles come with more connectivity, they are becoming more vulnerable to attack.<\/p>\n

In June 2025, attackers seized remote control of individual vehicles in Russia. They locked owners out, controlled windows, doors, and engine starts, and demanded ransoms to restore access.<\/p>\n

The attackers got in through cloned SIMs, expired virtual numbers, and revoked dealer logins. They exploited weak app-registration practices tied to unofficial imports of a specific Chinese vehicle brand.<\/p>\n

What dealers and automakers need to do now
\nHalcyon\u2019s report urges the industry to invest in cybersecurity measures to combat cybercrime and offers some tips to help keep attackers out:<\/p>\n

Phishing-resistant, multi-factor authentication for all remote systems and secure accounts.
\nScrutinize third-party suppliers for potential security issues.
\nSystems should be in place to help detect unusual activity in all networks.
\nKeep offline backups and update and test them regularly.<\/p>\n

Companies should assume a breach is coming and build systems capable of identifying unusual activity quickly. Finding an attacker early limits the damage. Waiting until systems are encrypted does not.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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