Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada suddenly shut down due to a cyberattack, they commenced a “gradual reopening” on Saturday.
In a statement, the company explained that they are taking the necessary time with each store to ensure systems are functioning properly and ready to serve customers.
“We ask for patience as we work with each store to ensure it is operating fully to meet the needs of our customers, and therefore we will not be communicating which stores are opening and when,” the statement emphasized.
London Drugs highlighted the complexity of their store systems, which connect with multiple third-party providers, each with different requirements. They continue to collaborate with third-party cybersecurity experts to bring systems online safely and securely.
“This is a time-consuming process, and rather than delay until all services and systems are fully available, we have opened our core services in some stores to meet the health-care and everyday needs of our customers as soon as possible,” the company explained. “We will be bringing other services and systems on board as soon as our reconnection work is complete and they are fully operational.”
While London Drugs did not specify the number of stores reopened or provide a timeline for completion, CTV News reported being able to make purchases at the London Drugs location in Vancouver before the phased reopening was made public.
The company assured that their investigation has not found any evidence of compromised customer databases, including pharmacy patient records and LDExtras rewards program information. However, they pledged to notify affected individuals in accordance with privacy laws if their ongoing investigation later reveals otherwise.
London Drugs mentioned that pharmacists are available onsite at all locations to assist with emergency prescriptions and urgent care needs. Additionally, Canada Post locations within stores remain accessible.
Saturday marked the seventh consecutive day of closures for London Drugs stores since April 28 due to the cyberattack.