Cyber incident disrupts operations at Israel’s largest car importer, Colmobil
The importer of Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz and other brands says its technology team is investigating the incident. Service centers remain open but are operating on a limited basis.
Colmobil, the importer of Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Ora, Mercedes-Benz and Jaecoo vehicles in Israel, appears to have been hit by a cyberattack that disrupted its operations, according to a notice the company sent to customers.
“A few hours ago, the company’s technology team detected a cybersecurity incident,” Colmobil said in the notice. “The company was prepared for such an event. Dedicated teams are currently investigating its source, and the relevant regulatory authorities have been notified. The incident is being managed, and the company is working to resolve it as quickly as possible.”
The incident has led to disruptions in some of the company’s operations. Colmobil said its service centers would continue to provide services and accept vehicles, but on a limited basis. “We ask for your understanding given the circumstances,” the notice said.
The nature and scope of the incident remain unclear. Colmobil said it had detected the incident and activated teams to investigate and manage it, but did not disclose whether customer data or internal systems had been compromised.
Colmobil is Israel’s largest vehicle importer and represents a broad range of automotive brands. According to data from the Israel Vehicle Importers Association, the company delivered 62,657 new vehicles between the beginning of the year and the end of September.
There have been no widely reported cases of cyberattacks bringing another Israeli vehicle importer’s operations to a halt, although the extent of the disruption at Colmobil remains unclear. The company is controlled by the Harlap family. This year, Asaf Harlap, son of the late Shmuel Harlap, was appointed chairman.
