Canadian retail giant Loblaw Companies Ltd. has notified a number of its customers after identifying a limited data breach involving some personal information. The company said the incident was noticed after its security systems detected unusual activity within a restricted and non-critical section of its IT network.
According to Loblaw, a criminal third party tried to access certain customer details, including names, phone numbers and email addresses. However, the company emphasized that more sensitive data such as passwords, credit card details and health information were not exposed in the breach.
Once the suspicious activity was identified, the company said it quickly took steps to secure its systems and prevent further unauthorized access. As part of its response, all customers were automatically logged out of their accounts to ensure their information remains protected.
Loblaw also clarified that its financial services arm, PC Financial, was not affected by the incident. The breach appears to be limited to a contained section of the company’s network, which officials say did not impact critical systems.
The company has begun notifying potentially affected customers directly, although it has not disclosed how many individuals may have been impacted. Loblaw said its investigation into the incident is ongoing as it continues to monitor its systems and strengthen security measures.
