Security for your Dealership Network.

Overview.

Car dealerships in the USA are highly dependent on Windows ® Computers, that can access the Internet and the manufacturers' web-sites. Using these computers, they order vehicles, submit warranty claims, order parts, check the status of other dealer inventories and other wide ranging functions. The Windows ® Computers are often used for generating dealership documents, generating spreadsheets, and as other productivity tools.

Any computer that accesses resources on the Internet is vulnerable to attack by cybercriminals. This means if you access a web-site, download a screen saver, download music, receive or send email, or check the stock market,you are vulnerable. The list of places and types of activities that make you vulnerable is not limited to ones listed above, but is literally endless.

Even if you never visit any place on the Internet, you could still be subject to attack if other computer in your dealership have been successfully breached. If your computer interacts with any other computer in any way, then it is vulnerable.

There are simple procedures or remedies that can dramatically reduce your computers vulnerabilities. Following them does not have to be onerous, but not following them will surely be onerous.

Firewalls

Your automobile has a firewall. It is a panel of metal and insulation that sits between the passenger compartment and the engine compartment. The firewall in your automobile has holes through it for electrical hookups, steering, braking, air conditioning, transmission, etc. These are necessary in order to make the car usable. If a small fire should break out in the engine compartment, little flame or smoke will immediately enter the passenger compartment because the firewall is not combustible and there are not many holes in the firewall. If the fire is long lasting or intense, then eventually flames will enter the passenger compartment.

Your computer network should have a firewall. Unlike an automotive firewall, the computer network firewall is called a router. When delivered from the manufacturer the router has few holes in it. But like an automotive firewall, some holes actually make the computer network work better. It may allow secure remote access from a trusted source to move through the firewall in order to provide services to your dealership.

Viruses and Spy-ware

Viruses and spy-ware are two different types of software that can be placed on your computer that can compromise the security of your data and the usability of your computer. It doesn't matter in this analysis what the definition of Viruses and spy-ware is. All of it is potentially detrimental to the security of your dealership.

Issues of Security for Non-Windows ® Computers

Non-windows ® computers cannot catch viruses and spy-ware from Windows ® computers. But the non-Windows ® computer are prize targets for cyber-criminals. Unfortunately, even though your in-house server is not used to surf the web or do downloads it can be attacked from other infected computers in the dealership behind the firewall. Cybercriminals can actually run programs on infected computers without your knowledge. The can start and stop programs, snoop, capture password and many other nefarious acts. You may be logging into the secure manufacturers' web-site looking at your financial data, and the cyber criminal has your login and password.

Prevention of Attacks from Cyber-Criminals

The first step is avoid the criminals. Just like you would try to avoid walking downtown in a major city in the bad part of town after midnight, avoid the following activities:

  1. Do not visit any site with lewd material.
  2. Do not download screen savers from any site. They often contain viruses and spy-ware. (Basically, the principle is beware of free software that is hip, catchy etc. All screen savers and programs that create icons on your task bar use part of the computing power of the computer and thus slow it down.
  3. The PC on your desk is not a "personal computer", but a "business computer". Do not load anything on the computer that is not used for business purposes.
  4. Do not download or share music, ring tones, recipes, videos or any other type of file.
  5. It is safer to print the email that you want to share in the dealership, and run to the photocopier than to send it to everybody.
  6. Do not process incoming personal email even if it is lunch time or after hours. Your computer is a "business computer".
  7. Do not run any sort of instant messaging service on your computer. There are all sorts of diseases of the computer transmitted by instant messaging.
  8. If you are visiting a web-site that does not require "Internet Explorer ®", then use some other browser like "Firefox" or "Opera". Internet Explorer ® is a fine piece of software but it has become a target. It would be like flashing a gold watch while walking in a bad part of town. You can find Firefox at HTTP://www.mozilla.com.
  9. Do not use Outlook ® or Outlook Express ® for processing you business emails, for the same reason as above. Try "Thunderbird", "Eudora", or "Pine" web-mail. You can find Thunderbird at http://www.mozilla.com. You can find Eudora at http://www.eudora.com. You can find Pine at http://www.washington.edu/pine/
  10. Do not use obvious passwords. Your password should have both upper and lower case letters and numbers. It is not enough to have a password "Peter123". It would be much better to use "gPa9oF1k". If you cannot remember it then write it down and carry it in your purse of billfold. You can generate non-obvious passwords here.
  11. Do not reuse passwords. Windows ® passwords are reported to be easy to crack. If you use the same password on your in-house computer then the cyber-criminal is already in.
  12. Buy antivirus software for each Windows ® computer in your dealership. I do not like the product by Norton/Symantec because of the company's business practices. I like AVG ® by Grisoft. You can find it at http://www.grisoft.com. Initially you can download a free trial version. But pay for a subscription if you like it.
  13. Buy antispyware software for each Windows ® computer in your dealership. I like "Spybot Search and Destroy" (spybotsd). You can find it at http://www.safer-networking.org. This software is freeware. The author provides it free, but requests that you make a donation. Try it and if you like it, donate to the author.
  14. Write a computer usage policy or use this document as your policy and make everybody in the dealership that uses a computer follow your policy.
  15. Harden your Windows Computer from cyber-attack. Here is a site with Microsoft's recommednations. Click here.

How Can I Tell if My Network is Being Attacked?

Your computer and you network are being attacked if your Windows ® Computer is running slower that normal, there are unwanted toolbars in Internet Explorer ®, you click on a link to go to a site and other pages pop up before you get there, or you never get there. If your computer freezes, crashes, or misbehaves, then you are under attack.

How Can I Tell if My In-House is Being Attacked?

If your Windows ® Computers are misbehaving, then your In-House server may already be under attack. If you are a Jarvis customer, then call us at 800-657-4499 and we will make a security examination of your Jarvis In-House server.

Windows ® is registered to Microsoft.
Internet Explorer ® is registered to Microsoft.
Outlook ® is registered to Microsoft.
Outlook Express ® is registered to Microsoft.