The Internet Archive Emerges as a Read-Only Resource Following Cyberattacks
Internet Archive's Read-Only Restoration
The Internet Archive is back online in a provisional, read-only manner following recent cyberattacks that disabled its services.
Impact of Cyberattacks on Services
On October 9th, a DDoS attack and a data breach temporarily shut down the digital library and the Wayback Machine. Brewster Kahle, the founder, confirmed that while users can access the Wayback Machine, new web pages cannot currently be captured for archiving.
- The cyber incident resulted in the theft of user data for 31 million accounts, including hashed passwords and email addresses.
- While the archive is functional, future maintenance may suspend services again if necessary.
- Gradual restoration efforts have been ongoing, including a return to operations for staff email accounts.
Significance of the Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine hosts 916 billion archived web pages, making it a vital resource for accessing older versions of websites. Following the Google initiative to integrate archived content in search results, this service is especially crucial.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.