London Drugs president warns that cyber attackers 'constantly probing for weaknesses'
The president of London Drugs doesn't know why the company was targeted in a cyber attack that forced it to close its stores for more than week, but Clint Mahlman says hackers with sophisticated methods are "constantly probing for weaknesses" of online systems.
Mahlman said in an interview that the Richmond, B.C.-based pharmacy and retailer had been preparing for such a situation for years, and they shut down immediately after the cybersecurity breach was discovered April 28 in order to contain the threat.
Since then, Mahlman said London Drugs has been working with cybersecurity experts to "methodically go through every system" and bring them back online in a secure way.
"We won't reopen a system until we have the confidence that it is as good as we can possibly make it," he said.
He said the company has no evidence to suggest that customer data was compromised.
Mahlman said he has no knowledge if the breach might be connected to B.C. Premier David Eby's announcement late Wednesday that the province had detected "sophisticated cybersecurity incidents" involving government networks.
Mahlman wouldn't share "details of any interactions with the threat actors."
He said he's sorry that the company couldn't release more details in the days after the incident, but they didn't want to give the attackers any leverage.
"The cybersecurity experts deal with these people all the time, and as such, they see certain behaviours from certain threat actors," he said.
Mahlman said hackers look at media reports about the cyber attacks, assessing whether the company is aware of the extent of the breach and its ability to recover.
"They use that information to either sustain their attack or leverage in some sort of way against the company."
London Drugs will not knowingly give hackers that leverage, Mahlman said.
"We apologize to the media and our customers that we couldn't have given more details that they want, but that's our commitment to the safety and security of our systems and our customers."
London Drugs said on Tuesday that all 79 of its stores in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba had reopened, and Mahlman said it was a "very big step" to shut down its systems companywide to "contain and mitigate any potential damage."
"The level of sophistication and expertise of these international cyber threat actors is significant," Mahlman said.
In the B.C. government incident, Eby said provincial authorities were working with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and other agencies to determine the extent of the problem, but there was currently no evidence that sensitive information had been compromised.
Mahlman said the investigation was ongoing with the help of cybersecurity experts from across the continent, and more work needed to be done to determine what information could have been accessed.
"We've never had to shut down all our stores before," Mahlman said. "I think the public may be shocked to know, and this is far from unique to London Drugs."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
What we know so far about the helicopter crash that killed Iran's president
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
The push to Parliament's summer hiatus is about to begin, here's what you need to know
When MPs file back in to the House of Commons on Tuesday, it will be for the final five-week parliamentary push before hitting the barbecue circuit. Looking ahead to what could be a raucous rush to the summer hiatus, CTVNews.ca spoke with top House representatives to get a sense of what's atop their priority list.
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war between Israel and Hamas.
Red Lobster seeks bankruptcy protection with US$100 million in financing commitments
U.S.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Florida court after securing $100 million in financing commitments from its existing lenders, the company said on Sunday.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you’ve been to a party lately and haven’t seen someone drinking a BORG, you’re likely not partying with college students.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
Your kids' ultraprocessed food consumption may put them at higher risk, study shows
The ultraprocessed foods your kids eat now may be putting them at greater risk for cardiometabolic problems – like heart attack, stroke and diabetes – in adulthood, a new study suggests.