London Drugs Closes All Stores Due to Cybersecurity Incident

London Drugs, a major retail and pharmacy chain in Western Canada, has temporarily closed all of its nearly 80 stores across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba due to a cybersecurity incident. The company announced the closures on Sunday, stating that it took immediate measures to counter the attack upon discovering the issue.

According to London Drugs, the company has retained leading third-party cybersecurity experts to assist with the containment, remediation, and forensic investigation of the incident. "We immediately took measures to counter the attack once it was discovered," the company said in a statement. "London Drugs has no reason to believe that customer or employee data has been impacted at this time."

While the physical retail outlets remain closed until further notice, London Drugs has assured customers that pharmacists are still available to support urgent pharmacy needs. The company advised customers to call their local London Drugs pharmacy to make arrangements for emergency prescription fills.

Why this matters: The widespread closure of a major retail chain due to a cybersecurity incident highlights the growing threat that cyber attacks pose to businesses and their operations. It emphasizes the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for companies to have contingency plans in place to minimize disruptions in the event of a breach.

London Drugs, which employs over 8,000 people across its locations, has not provided an estimated timeline for when its stores will reopen. The company stated that resolving the cybersecurity incident is their utmost priority and apologized for any inconvenience caused to customers. London Drugs promised to provide updates as it progresses in addressing the issue and thanked customers for their patience during this time.

Key Takeaways

• London Drugs, a major Canadian retailer, temporarily closed all ~80 stores due to a cybersecurity incident.
• The company has retained cybersecurity experts to investigate and resolve the issue, with no customer/employee data impact.
• Physical stores are closed, but pharmacies remain open to support urgent needs; timeline for reopening is unclear.
• The incident highlights the growing threat of cyberattacks and the need for robust security measures.
• London Drugs apologized for the inconvenience and promised updates as it addresses the cybersecurity issue.