The Internet Archive, a vital digital library and host of the popular Wayback Machine, recently faced a cyberattack that disrupted its services. Now, after a challenging period of downtime, the Internet Archive has resurfaced in a read-only capacity, allowing users to once again access its vast array of archived web pages.
Here are some key points to consider about the Internet Archive’s recent cyberattack and subsequent return to service:
- The cyberattack occurred on October 9th, resulting in a temporary suspension of the site due to a data breach and DDoS attack. A user authentication database containing 31 million unique records was also stolen during this period.
- Founder Brewster Good has assured users that the Internet Archive is now operational in a “provisional, read-only manner.” While users can search through the archive of 916 billion web pages, they currently cannot capture new web pages for archiving.
- The Internet Archive team has been working tirelessly to restore services, including email accounts and crawlers for National Libraries. Measures are also being taken to strengthen the site’s security against potential future attacks.
- In the wake of the cyberattack, a hacker claimed responsibility for a “catastrophic security breach,” leading to the confirmation that data, including email addresses and hashed passwords, had been stolen.
- Interestingly, Google recently began linking to archived websites in the Wayback Machine, providing users with a convenient way to access older versions of websites and archived pages directly from search results.
As we witness the resilience of the Internet Archive in the face of adversity, it serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding our digital resources. Let us appreciate the efforts of individuals like Brewster Good and his team in preserving the vast wealth of knowledge available on the internet.
