Fast Facts

• Motility Software Solutions suffered a ransomware attack on August 19, 2025.
• Data of 766,000 dealership clients was exposed, including Social Security and driver’s license numbers.
• The breach impacted 7,000 dealerships across the U.S. using Motility’s management software.
• Motility is offering a year of free identity monitoring to affected individuals.
• No ransomware group has claimed responsibility as of publication.

The Digital Heist: Anatomy of an Attack

Picture a bustling dealership showroom - except the thieves slip in through the server room instead of the front door. That’s what happened to Motility Software Solutions, a major provider of dealership management software, when hackers launched a ransomware attack in August 2025. The result: sensitive data belonging to 766,000 customers, from car buyers to RV renters, suddenly at risk.

Motility, formerly Systems 2000, is the digital backbone for thousands of U.S. dealerships, managing everything from inventory and sales to customer records. When attackers breached their systems, they didn’t just lock files - they stole them. For some clients, the haul included full names, contact details, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license information, a jackpot for identity thieves.

Ransomware: The Modern-Day Smash-and-Grab

Ransomware works like a digital padlock, encrypting files so businesses can’t access them unless they pay up. But in Motility’s case, the intruders did more than hold data hostage - they stole it first, a tactic known as “double extortion.” This approach has surged in recent years, with high-profile attacks on companies like CDK Global, another dealership software giant, and even municipal governments.

According to reports by cybersecurity firm Coveware, double extortion attacks are now the norm, with stolen data often surfacing on dark web forums if ransoms aren’t paid. Motility has yet to see its pilfered files posted, but the company has set up monitoring to keep watch. For now, the identity thieves are lurking in the shadows.

Dealerships in the Crosshairs

Why target a dealer software provider? It’s a goldmine of personal information and financial data, spanning thousands of businesses and millions of transactions. The auto industry has become an attractive target as it rapidly digitizes, often without the cyber defenses of banks or hospitals. Recent attacks on dealership platforms have disrupted sales, forced manual paperwork, and left customers anxious about their privacy.

Motility’s breach underscores a growing risk: as more industries rely on centralized software, a single compromise can ripple across an entire sector. The company says it has restored its systems and improved security. But for affected clients, the threat of fraud lingers - a reminder that in the digital age, the showroom is only as safe as the server.

WIKICROOK

• Ransomware: Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts or locks data, demanding payment from victims to restore access to their files or systems.
• Double Extortion: Double extortion is a ransomware tactic where attackers both encrypt files and steal data, threatening to leak the data if the ransom isn’t paid.
• Dealer Management Software (DMS): Dealer Management Software is a platform that helps dealerships manage sales, inventory, customer information, and finances from one integrated system.
• Dark Web: La Dark Web è la parte nascosta di Internet, accessibile solo con software speciali, dove spesso si svolgono attività illegali e si garantisce l’anonimato.
• Identity Monitoring: Identity monitoring is a service that alerts you if your personal information is misused or sold, helping you detect identity theft early.