London Drugs, a major retail and pharmacy chain, has temporarily closed its stores across Western Canada following a cybersecurity breach reported on Sunday. The B.C.-based company announced the shutdown as a precautionary measure to safeguard against further damage after detecting the security incident.
According to a statement issued to CBC News around 5:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, the company acted swiftly to address the attack.
“At this time, we have no reason to believe that customer or employee data has been impacted,” the company reassured the public.
The closures began abruptly after an initial announcement attributed the disruption to an “operational issue.” Employees at a Kamloops, B.C., location noted they were facing a “computer issue,” which left them unable to process transactions or assist customers effectively.
In response to the crisis, London Drugs has deactivated its phone lines to mitigate any ongoing risks as investigations continue. However, the company has confirmed that pharmacy staff remains available at all locations to meet urgent customer needs in person.
The company’s response has involved enlisting third-party cybersecurity experts to help contain and investigate the breach thoroughly. “We want to assure you that this incident is of the utmost priority for us,” London Drugs stated, expressing gratitude towards customers for their patience and promising regular updates on the situation.
London Drugs operates nearly 80 stores across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, including over 50 in B.C. alone. As the investigation progresses, the company has pledged to keep the public informed and to take all necessary steps to ensure the security and integrity of its systems and data.