When people think of The Odyssey, they often think of the infamous Trojan Horse and the fall of Troy. But the Trojan Horse offers a lesson that still rings true today: Not every threat is easy to spot.

When the Greeks couldn’t break through Troy’s walls, they took a different approach: They disguised a threat as a gift. Unfortunately, cybercriminals may have learned a thing or two from the legend. It’s no secret that the bad guys are on the hunt for your dealership’s data, and they’ll try to get their hands on it by any means necessary — even if that means sending in their version of a Trojan Horse.

The Odyssey may be a myth, but its real-life lessons can help your dealership recognize hidden threats and strengthen your cybersecurity defenses.

1. Not Everything Is What It Seems

Like the Trojan Horse, threats don’t always arrive in the way you expect. 

Cybercriminals today run dozens, if not hundreds, of phishing scams. (One of which is fittingly dubbed the “Trojan Horse Virus.”) Phishing attacks rely on deception to trick employees into trusting a message that appears to come from a legitimate source. The goal is to have you interact with a link, provide sensitive information, or download harmful software. To increase their chance of success, cybercriminals often design these messages to look convincing and create a sense of urgency or fear to pressure recipients into acting quickly. Your team can encounter these threats during everyday activities such as checking emails and communicating with customers.  

Also, your dealership doesn’t operate in a silo. You likely have several vendors, platforms, and service providers you routinely work with. If the bad guys get their hands on this type of information, they can impersonate a known vendor and use that identity to gain access, make changes, or steal information from staff.  

The key to finding a potential Trojan Horse in your dealership’s walls is to constantly assess every communication and question any unexpected links and downloads — all while encouraging your team to do the same.  

2. One Weak Point Can Open the Door

Once the Trojan Horse was inside the city’s walls, the attackers had complete access to Troy.  

Many dealerships today run on systems that support every stage of the customer experience. It’s the nature of technology to have access to your dealership’s data and sensitive information in order to do its job, including customer profiles, credit applications, and service histories. 

Access to one system can mean access to all systems. In other words, a single compromised account or vendor connection can lead to cybercriminals gaining access to your entire dealership ecosystem. This type of breach could lead to:
  • Data theft. 
  • Financial fraud. 
  • Credential harvesting. 
  • Ransomware deployment. 
Not to mention, this type of breach could cause an operational shutdown of your business. Reducing risk starts with limiting the opportunities attackers depend on.  

The bad guys can’t gain access to your dealership ecosystem if they can’t get access to a single system.  

3. Your Team Is Part of the Defense

Dealership employees are often the entry point for cybercriminals. Because of this, your employees are also the first line of defense. Knowing that threats may arrive unexpectedly or understanding that one compromised system can lead to more is only the beginning. Building a culture where cybersecurity is a priority ensures your dealership’s defenses don’t stop at the walls. Regular training and awareness programs can help your team recognize phishing attempts, spot suspicious activity, and understand their role in keeping potential threats from making their way inside. Also, running routine tabletop exercises can allow your team to rehearse scenarios and strengthen their response skills.  

Troy may have fallen because its people believed their city was impenetrable. Don’t let your dealership follow in its footsteps. By recognizing phishing attempts, securing every point of access, and fostering a culture of cybersecurity, your dealership can make it much harder for cybercriminals to turn a hidden threat into a costly breach.