Eagers Automotive car dealerships halts it's stock trading after cyberattack

Eagers Automotive, the largest car dealership operator in Australia and New Zealand, has paused trading on the stock exchange following a cyberattack that impacted its systems.

The company, which reported revenues of AU$4.82 billion in the first half of 2023 and employs 8,500 people, made this decision on December 27, 2023, to manage its disclosure obligations related to the cybersecurity incident.  The extent of the attack, which affected various systems across both countries, is still being assessed with the help of external experts.

Eagers Automotive has informed the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the New Zealand National Cyber Security Center about the incident.

There are concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive customer financial data, although no explicit mention of a data leak was made in the company's statement.

Update - The attack on Eagers Automotive, has confirmed that the cyberattack that disrupted its operations has compromised customer personal information. Eagers has begun notifying affected individuals, though the total number remains undisclosed. The LockBit 3.0 ransomware group claimed responsibility, setting a January 19 ransom deadline.