A ransomware attack compromised the data of current and former employees at Canada’s biggest bookstore chain, Indigo Books & Music Inc. says.
In a statement on its website, Indigo said the breach on Feb. 8 left no indication that customers’ personal information, such as credit card numbers, had been accessed, but that “some employee data was.”
The Toronto-based retailer said it has contracted consumer reporting agency TransUnion of Canada to offer two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection to workers at no cost.
Customers remain unable to make purchases online except for “select books,” after Indigo halted website and app operations in what it referred to last week as a “cyberattack.”
When the incident began more than two weeks ago, Indigo was only able to process purchases made in store with cash, but some of its services, including over-the-counter credit and debit payments as well as exchanges and returns, have since been restored.
The company engaged third-party experts to investigate and resolve the matter, but did not publicly acknowledge the incident as a ransomware attack affecting employees until this week.
“Both current and former employees are being notified that their information may have been impacted,” the statement reads.
Data breaches have become a familiar feature on the corporate and public-sector landscape, with Canadian retailers experiencing a growing number of cyberattacks in recent months.
Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd. suffered a security breach late last year.
The incident in November left customers unable to fill prescriptions at the chain’s pharmacies for four days, while other in-store functions like self-checkout machines, gift card use and the redemption of loyalty points were off-line for about a week.
Empire later said the attack was expected to cost $25 million after insurance recoveries.
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario experienced a “malicious” cybersecurity incident that affected online sales in January, and Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children saw a ransomware attack disrupt operations in December.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2023.
MTY Food Group Inc. says its profit and revenue both slid in its most recent quarter.
The restaurant franchisor and operator says its net income attributable to owners totalled $34.9 million in its third quarter, compared with $38.9 million a year earlier.
The results for the period ended Aug. 31 amounted to $1.46 per diluted share, down from $1.59 per diluted share a year prior.
The company behind 90 brands including Manchu Wok and Mr. Sub attributed the fall to impairment charges on property, plants and equipment along with intangibles assets.
Its revenue decreased slightly to $292.8 million in the quarter from $298 million a year ago.
While CEO Eric Lefebvre saw the quarter as a sign that the company’s ongoing restructuring is starting to bear fruits, he said the business was also hampered by significant delays in construction and permitting that resulted in fewer locations opening.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
Taiga Motors Corp. says the Superior Court of Québec has approved its sale to a British electric boat entrepreneur.
The Montreal-based maker of snowmobiles and watercraft says it will be purchased by Stewart Wilkinson.
Wilkinson’s family office is behind marine electrification brands that include Vita, Evoy, and Aqua superPower.
Wilkinson and Taiga did not reveal the terms or value of the deal but say Wilkinson will assume Taiga’s debt to Export Development Canada and has committed to funding Taiga’s business plan.
The companies say the transaction will allow them to achieve greater economies of scale and deliver high-performance products at compelling prices to accelerate the electric transition.
The sale comes months after Taiga sought bankruptcy protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act to cope with a cash crunch.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
Toronto-Dominion Bank is facing fines totalling about US$3.09 billion from U.S. regulators in connection with failures of its anti-money laundering safeguards.
The bank also received a cease-and-desist order and non-financial sanctions from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that put limits on its growth in the U.S. after it was found that TD had “significant, systemic breakdowns in its transaction monitoring program.”
