Internet Archive hit by major cyberattack

The Internet Archive, a prominent online repository of web pages, faced significant disruptions on Thursday after a major cyberattack that exposed user data. Brewster Kahle, the organisation’s founder, reported a series of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that began earlier in the week, leading to the defacement of its website and the breach of usernames, emails, and passwords for millions of users. Although the data has not been corrupted, the attack has raised concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities, especially with the upcoming US presidential election on November 5.

The hackers, a group claiming to be pro-Palestinian called ‘SN_BLACKMETA,’ targeted the Internet Archive, accusing it of being connected to US government support for Israel. They reportedly posted a defacing message on the site, which informed users that 31 million accounts had been breached. The site ‘Have I Been Pwned’ later confirmed the stolen records, adding credibility to the hackers’ claims.

Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, announced that the organisation is actively working to restore services and strengthen security measures following a major cyberattack. Established in 1996, the nonprofit is renowned for its Wayback Machine, which archives web pages and serves as a critical resource for researchers and journalists. This incident underscores the increasing risks of cyberattacks, particularly for organisations dedicated to preserving information and fostering an open internet.