The BlackBasta Ransomware Gang Attacks Sobeys

Canadian food retail giant Sobeys has been grappling with IT systems issues that have impacted its grocery stores and pharmacies since November 5th. Sobeys, one of the country's two national grocery retailers, operates a vast network of 1,500 stores across all ten provinces. With multiple retail banners such as Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawtons Drugs, the Company employs approximately 134,000 individuals.

In a press release issued on Monday by Empire, Sobeys' parent company, it was disclosed that while the grocery stores remained open, certain services were affected due to an overarching IT problem. "The Company's grocery stores remain open to serve customers and are not experiencing significant disruptions at this time. However, some in-store services are functioning intermittently or with a delay," stated the retailer.

Furthermore, the press release revealed, "In addition, certain of the Company's pharmacies are experiencing technical difficulties in fulfilling prescriptions. The Company, however, remains committed to the continuity of care of all its pharmacy patients." The Company emphasized its dedication to resolving the IT system issues promptly in order to minimize disruptions to store operations.

In a separate statement posted on Sobeys' official website, the retailer assured customers that all stores were open and operating without significant disruptions, despite the ongoing IT challenges. However, reports from employees indicated that computers in affected Sobeys stores were inaccessible, although point-of-sale (POS) and payment processing systems continued to function since they operate on a separate network.