Internet Archive Takes Down Its Website After String Of Cyberattacks
Photo 213449233 © Monticelllo | Dreamstime.com
The Internet Archive has informed DesignTAXI that it has temporarily taken its services offline to deal with a wave of cyberattacks.
On October 9, users began reporting issues accessing the site, which was later confirmed to be the result of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks that overwhelmed the organization’s servers.
The attacks, which started earlier in the week, were said to be carried out by a group called SN_BlackMeta, linked to a pro-Palestinian hacktivist movement. This group has been associated with other cyberattacks and hinted at more to come.
In addition to the DDoS disruptions, the Archive also suffered a data breach, compromising 31 million user accounts. Exposed information includes email addresses, screen names, and encrypted passwords. Though the passwords remain encrypted, users have been urged to update them as a precaution.
Despite upgrading its security in light of the hacks, the Internet Archive has been forced to go dark—after briefly coming back live—to keep tabs on suspicious movements, the nonprofit tells DesignTAXI.
Brewster Kahle, the organization’s founder and digital librarian, is leading the response and will provide updates via social media. Users can follow his posts on X (formerly Twitter) to stay informed about the recovery process.
Sorry, but DDOS folks are back and knocked https://t.co/Hk02WjumkL and https://t.co/Xb2ku5dgZs offline. @internetarchive is being cautious and prioritizing keeping data safe at the expense of service availability.
— Brewster Kahle (@brewster_kahle) October 10, 2024
Will share more as we know it.
[via Internet Archive, cover photo 213449233 © Monticelllo | Dreamstime.com]
