The DDoS cyber-attack currently targeting the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine has entered its third day, causing intermittent disruptions in service. The nonprofit research library is best known for housing millions of historical documents, preserved websites, and media content.
The ongoing intrusion has involved the launch of tens of thousands of fake information requests per second, though the source of the attack remains unknown.
Library staff have reassured users that the collections remain safe despite the attack. However, access to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, which stores more than 866 billion web pages, has been affected.
Brewster Kahle, founder and digital librarian of the Internet Archive, said, “Thankfully the collections are safe, but we are sorry that the denial-of-service attack has knocked us offline intermittently during these last three days. With the support from others and the hard work of staff we are hardening our defenses to provide more reliable access to our library. What is new is this attack has been sustained, impactful, targeted, adaptive, and importantly, mean.”
Libraries and other knowledge institutions have become frequent targets for cyber-attacks. Recent victims include the British Library, the Solano County Public Library in California, the Berlin Natural History Museum, and Ontario’s London Public Library.
The Internet Archive continues to implement measures to mitigate the effects of the DDoS attack and protect its valuable collections, while simultaneously seeking to identify the culprits behind the assault.
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