How to Stop Accidentally Helping Hackers.
Hackers are upgrading their tech… are you? Dominion DMS security czar, Mike D’Alba, shares where dealerships are most vulnerable and what smart operators are doing to stay one step ahead.
Top 5 takeaways
● Hackers are leveling up. Are you?
They’re using AI, automation and zero-day tactics to breach systems faster than ever. If your DMS isn’t evolving, it’s exposed.
● Cybersecurity is a full-time job. Ours.
Dominion DMS trains, tests and tightens security daily… so your team can focus on selling cars & service, not fighting ransomware.
● Our cloud isn’t just secure – it’s fortified!
VUE DMS operates on a Microsoft Azure infrastructure, backed by $4 billion in annual cybersecurity investment and 3,500+ experts monitoring 24/7. This means scalable, enterprise-level data protection for our clients.
● Dealerships accidentally invite risk. Passwords on sticky notes or under keyboards, guest WiFi and internal WiFi sharing the same parent network and unapproved apps installed on dealership equipment. If any of that sounds familiar, your doors might already be open.
● Strong passwords buy time. Time buys safety. An 8-digit PIN? Cracked in 37 seconds. A complex passphrase? Try 7 years. Multiply that by your entire team.
Hackers are working overtime… and they’re using better tech than most dealerships realize. Speed of software evolution opens the door to innovation… it also opens the door to cyberattacks.
Just this past March (yes, March 2025), dealerships were back in the crosshairs of major ransomware groups. And let’s be honest: some dealer management systems (not ours!) go down so often, it may be starting to feel normal. It’s not. It’s preventable and fixable.
The Hacker Playbook Is Evolving
Modern hackers aren’t lone wolves in basements. They’re organized, automated and AI-augmented. Their attacks are faster, stealthier and more sophisticated than ever.
Your defense? It has to be smarter too.
Five ways Dominion DMS is beefing up your security
(No protein shakes involved, just solid cyber practices)
1. Comprehensive Cybersecurity Training
Every employee goes through rigorous, ongoing security training. Think of it as cybersecurity boot camp… minus the camouflage.
2. Regular Phishing Simulations
We send fake phishing emails. These simulations help our team learn to spot the signs of real attacks and demonstrate how not to be vulnerable to them.
3. Leveraging Microsoft Azure’s Infrastructure. At our cloud core, Dominion DMS is built on Microsoft Azure. That means our clients automatically receive enterprise-grade security with advanced threat detection, automatic failover and rapid response. Side bonus? We get to leverage Microsoft’s cybersecurity investment of almost $4 billion annually and 3,500+ security professionals watching our data 24/7! We’re keeping your data more secure than grandma’s secret pie recipe.
4. Security Alerts & Awareness. Think of it as a friendly-but-firm digital sticky note. From our security banner to email alerts, we keep cybersecurity and other security-related news front & center.
5. Cyber-Safe Travel Protocols. We give our team clear, practical advice for staying secure on the road such as steering clear of public wi-fi and never charging a phone in an airport USB port.
Are You Unknowingly Helping Hackers?
(Cue dramatic music)
Even with the best tech stack, human error is the #1 risk. Here are the most common ways dealerships accidentally roll out the red carpet for attackers and leave that digital door a little too easy to kick open:
● Writing passwords on paper. If you’re storing your passwords on sticky notes or under the keyboard, congrats: You’ve created a hacker’s scavenger hunt. Use a password manager.
● Using weak passwords. “123456” is not a password; it’s an open invitation. Aim for long, complex passphrases with numbers and symbols. Try a sentence like: MyDogAte3Donuts! They are harder to crack!
● Sharing Sensitive Info via Email. Hackers are crafty. They use AI to make phishing emails look like they came from your best buddy. Double check before clicking. When in doubt, don’t.
● Letting Guests Use the Same Wi-Fi as Your DMS. Your DMS should not be hanging out with TikTok. Keep guest and internal networks separate.
● Leaving Devices Unattended with the Screen Open. “I just went to grab the keys” is not an excuse. Ever leave your phone and come back to a friend’s ‘funny’ picture as a screen saver? What if that wasn’t your friend? Lock your screen. Use a privacy protector.
● Using Unapproved Software. Installing that “totally safe” third-party tool? Bad idea. Stick with the pre-approved apps.
● Skipping Security Training & Protocols. If the cyber training emails make you groan, we get it. But skipping them could cost a lot more than 30 minutes of your time. It could cost thousands to millions in recovery.
Ignoring browser updates. Updates patch security holes – don’t snooze it. Run it.
Password Math That’ll Make You Cringe
· 8-character password with only numbers = hacked in 37 seconds
· 8-character password with upper/lowercase, symbols, numbers = up to 7 years to crack
Complexity buys time. Time buys safety.
Hope isn’t a strategy. Preparation is.
Geoffrey Hinton, one of the greatest minds behind modern AI, said he spreads his money across multiple banks to reduce risk. That’s not paranoia, that’s preparedness.
Dealerships should think the same way: You don’t just need backups. You need continuity. You need resilience. You need a plan.
At Dominion DMS, we don’t just protect data. We protect your ability to operate.
