CDK Global, the provider of a software platform for auto dealerships, has had to shut down most of its systems due to what it described as “a cyber incident.” This had serious consequences for car dealers in the US, with reports saying that thousands of dealerships there were largely paralyzed for several hours on Wednesday.

Among other things, CDK provides a sales platform. It claims around 15,000 US car dealerships are among its customers.

For security reasons, the company shut down all systems on Wednesday morning, a company spokeswoman said, adding that its core dealer management system and digital retailing solutions had been restored later in the day.