Canadian Supermarket Chain Sobeys Hit by Ransomware Attack

Canadian supermarket and pharmacy chain Sobeys is recovering from a cyberattack that might have involved the Black Basta ransomware.

Sobeys is the second largest supermarket chain in Canada and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited, which operates more than 1,500 stores across the country, under brands such as Foodland, IGA, Lawtons, Needs, Safeway, and more.

On November 7, Empire disclosed that it fell victim to a cyberattack that impacted some in-store systems at its supermarkets, as well as its pharmacies. By Friday, the company was able to fully restore impacted systems at its pharmacies.

“Our stores are currently experiencing system issues that are affecting some of the services offered. All our stores remain open to serve you and are not experiencing significant disruptions at this time.

“While some in-store services are functioning intermittently or with a delay, we are pleased to note that our pharmacy network is now able to operate fully,” a notification on Sobeys’ website reads.

Last week, the company reportedly informed Canadian privacy watchdogs that it had suffered a data breach, which suggests that personal information might have been compromised during the incident.

While the company has not shared specific information on the type of cyberattack that it fell victim to, ransomware attacks are typically the cause of prolonged system disruptions.

The attack appears to have involved the Black Basta ransomware, but SecurityWeek found no mention of the Sobeys incident on the gang’s leak website.

Black Basta was initially observed in April 2022 but rose to fame fast, becoming one of the most prevalent ransomware families within roughly two months. In early November, cybersecurity firm SentinelOne linked Black Basta to FIN7, a notorious Russian cybercrime group.

The attack on Sobeys was executed around the same time that Canadian meat giant Maple Leaf Foods disclosed a cyberattack causing system disruptions.

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