Amid London Drugs hack, what to do if you think your data is at risk

After London Drugs confirmed in a statement that hackers are trying to ransom reams of stolen data — which may include employee information — stemming from a high-profile cyberattack, the spotlight is once again on the cybersecurity of Canadians.

amid london drugs hack, what to do if you think your data is at risk

“London Drugs is unwilling and unable to pay ransom to these cybercriminals,” the company said in a statement, which comes amid a growing number of hacks and security breaches in recent years.

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) said in its National Cyber Threat Assessment report that ransomware was “certainly the most disruptive form of cybercrime and is a persistent threat to Canadian organizations.”

“A ransomware incident can incur significant costs on an organization and can disrupt things like the movement of essential goods and services and the delivery of critical services to Canadians. In some cases, a ransomware incident could lead to impacts on Canadians’ safety and wellbeing,” CSE spokesperson Ryan Foreman told Global News in a statement.

However, individuals and organizations can take several steps if they worry their data could be at risk.

What can individuals do?

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada recommends that individuals regularly change their passwords, review bank account and credit card statements on a regular basis and report any errors on their credit reports and any unauthorized bank transactions immediately.

The agency said if you think you’ve been the victim of a data breach, contact your financial institution and any other companies where your account has been compromised. They also recommend contacting Canada’s two main credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion.

The email you need for the day's top news stories from Canada and around the world.

You can ask the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report, which they will do after confirming your identity.

You can also contact the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre, which is jointly managed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau Canada.

Equifax says data breaches can differ in terms of sensitivity. A “least sensitive” data breach could involve a person’s name and address, in which case you should change your password immediately.

A “moderately sensitive” data breach could include email addresses, birth dates and card numbers such as the ones that can be found on your credit and debit cards. This is when Equifax recommends you notify your bank.

If there is a breach of your social insurance number, passwords to online accounts, financial account numbers and payment card security codes that are generally found on the back of your card, then the breach is considered “most sensitive.”

In such cases, it is recommended that you notify Equifax and TransUnion.

amid london drugs hack, what to do if you think your data is at risk
2:14 High-profile cyberattacks on the rise

What can organizations do?

The CSE said organizations should contact their Cyber Centre if they have been the victim of a ransomware attack.

“Develop, test, and implement a backup plan for your organization that ensures your backups use ultra-resilient media, such as offline, air-gapped, or immutable, to prevent ransomware from impacting your ability to recover,” Foreman recommended.

He said organizations also need to develop an incident response plan, run frequent system updates and vulnerability scans, and protect data with encryption.

Companies can also implement network security zones to control and restrict access to specific systems and data, and restrict data communication flows to certain systems or zones.

“(Organizations should) use secure administrative workstations to separate sensitive tasks, manage administrative privileges and accounts, and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on accounts and devices wherever possible,” Foreman said.

The CSE also has a Ransomware Playbook that organizations can use to develop an action plan against such incidents.

amid london drugs hack, what to do if you think your data is at risk
2:05 Cybercriminals may release London Drugs data if ransom demands not met

The London Drugs case

In a statement, London Drugs said there remained no indication that customer or “primary employee” data was accessed. But it confirmed that the attackers were able to steal files from its corporate head office, some of which may include employee information.

“London Drugs is taking all available steps to mitigate any impacts from these criminal acts, including notifying all current employees whose personal information could be potentially impacted,” the company said.

The attackers are seeking a ransom of $25 million and threatening to post the stolen data on the dark web, according to threat analyst Brett Callow, with New Zealand-based cybersecurity company Emsisoft.

–with files from Global’s Simon Little

More on Canada

OTHER NEWS

18 minutes ago

Emma Raducanu turns down place at Paris Olympics

18 minutes ago

House of the Dragon season one recap: Everything that’s happened in the Game of Thrones spin-off so far

18 minutes ago

Lily Allen reveals comment that was ‘edited out’ of BBC podcast with Miquita Oliver

18 minutes ago

Egyptian President Hails Good Organization of Hajj and Services Provided

18 minutes ago

Rahul Gandhi says EVMs are a 'black box' that nobody is allowed to scrutinise as Elon Musk raises hacking concerns

18 minutes ago

What to know about Trump's outreach with Arab Americans led by his daughter Tiffany's father-in-law

18 minutes ago

New report shows common medication puts at-risk individuals in danger — and heat is only making matters worse

18 minutes ago

‘Complete dud’: Matt Canavan and Abigail Boyd go head-to-head in heated net zero debate

18 minutes ago

Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni passes on at 60

18 minutes ago

25 people penalized for transporting 103 illegal pilgrims

18 minutes ago

Man Utd Transfer News: Red Devils told to hijack move for ideal Casemiro replacement Joao Palhinha

18 minutes ago

How the ‘least cultured’ place in Britain reinvented itself

18 minutes ago

'Geez, he's raw!' - Michael Owen sends WARNING about misfiring Liverpool forward

18 minutes ago

Emma Raducanu’s Olympic decision confirmed as Team GB squad for Paris 24 is revealed

18 minutes ago

He plays like Kroos: Man Utd could land "special" 51m Mainoo partner

18 minutes ago

Terminated Red Bull junior driver speaks out following axe

18 minutes ago

United Rugby Championship Team of the week: A Springbok in waiting, ‘Huwipulotu’ and the Bulls front-row all feature after semi-finals

18 minutes ago

Hunter Biden beams as he's seen out in Hollywood after felony gun conviction

18 minutes ago

Trump threatens to cut off aid to Ukraine 'prior to taking the White House as president-elect'

18 minutes ago

Fourteen Jordanians die during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

18 minutes ago

How explosion of mega warehouses is turning America's heartland into a hellscape, as raging locals say soulless eyesores are ruining their lives

18 minutes ago

Inside the bitter fight between the Mormons and small town America: Church accused of 'bullying' picturesque hamlets into letting them build towering temples

18 minutes ago

Glamorous socialite 'dupes Palm Beach elite with $2M scam' at heart of shopping mecca for the mega rich

18 minutes ago

Video: Fury after police ram terrified runaway cow with their squad car down London street - with cops forced to refer itself to watchdog amid backlash and Home Secretary demanding explanation over 'heavy-handed' incident

18 minutes ago

Video: Fury after police ram terrified runaway cow with their squad car down London street - with cops forced to refer itself to watchdog amid backlash and Home Secretary demanding explanation over 'heavy-handed' incident

23 minutes ago

Why student loan forgiveness sparks anger: A philosopher, attorney general, sociologist and religious thought expert weigh in

23 minutes ago

Detroit pastor thanks Trump for visiting the ‘hood’ as Biden, Obama who ‘never came’ attend LA fundraiser

23 minutes ago

Andrew Garfield keeps it casual as he enjoys a date night with glamorous doctor girlfriend Kate Tomas at Chiltern Firehouse

25 minutes ago

Olympics-Kipyegon targets double gold in Paris

25 minutes ago

Wilding review – a biodiversity success story in West Sussex

25 minutes ago

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Rajeev Chandrasekhar Counters Elon Musk’s EVM Tampering Remark | News18

29 minutes ago

Hamburg police fire shots at axe-wielding person at Euro 2024 fan parade

31 minutes ago

Feeney claims back-to-back Darwin race wins

31 minutes ago

Exodus of skilled workforce rises 119%

31 minutes ago

American VAR expert Christina Unkel gives ITV edge over BBC at Euro 2024

31 minutes ago

Insider Today: Meta's manager squeeze

31 minutes ago

Fewer than 200,000 Britons living abroad apply to vote in UK election

31 minutes ago

Frustration and loathing in Las Vegas: What Nevada voters REALLY think of a Trump Biden 2024 election

31 minutes ago

Video: As Kate Middleton gets back behind the camera, how the Princess' passion for taking pictures has seen her capture some of the most touching royal photos in decades

34 minutes ago

Euro 2024: Man shot by Hamburg police after ax attack