Internet Archive slowly returns to normal after DDoS cyberattack

Internet Archive has committed to preserving digital content [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Days after a distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyberattack that damaged the Internet Archive site and exposed user credentials, the online database of web pages and open source media is slowly returning to normal, but with some limitations.

“The @internetarchive’s Wayback Machine resumed in a provisional, read-only manner. Sorry, no Save Page Now yet. Safe to resume but might need further maintenance, in which case it will be suspended again,” posted founder Brewster Kahle on X on October 14, requesting users to be gentle with the platform.

On October 10, Kahle posted that a DDoS attack was “fended off for now” but that there was defacement of the website and a breach of usernames, emails, and passwords. The founder said that Internet Archive responded by disabling the JS library, scrubbing systems, and upgrading security.

A group called SN_BLACKMETA has taken responsibility for the attack, reported AFP. On the social media platform X, SN_BLACKMETA posted long and often contradictory messages defending its reasons for the hack, blaming Israel and raising awareness about the plight of besieged Palestinians, before going on to criticise Internet Archive’s approach to U.S. copyright law.

“The archive was supposed to be a reference for information, but the site has started to resemble piracy sites,” posted  SN_BLACKMETA on X.

However, the claims by SN_BLACKMETA are yet to be officially verified. The account, which has blue tick verification, joined X in March 2024 and has a little over 7,000 followers.

Internet Archive has committed to preserving digital content as well as making e-books more accessible to borrowers world over, leading it to be accused of copyright violations.