Hackers breach Internet Archive, exposing 31 million users’ data

Oct 11, 2024

Lauren Taylor Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Hackers breached the Internet Archive, exposing data from over 31 million users in what is being described as a politically motivated attack. The group claiming responsibility cited U.S. support for Israel as the motive behind the cyberattack, which began with a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack and escalated to data theft.

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The Internet Archive, best known for its Wayback Machine, hosts billions of web pages and other media to preserve digital history. The hackers, who use account on X known as SN_BlackMeta, claimed that the attack is part of a larger operation started in May 2024.

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While user passwords were encrypted, there are concerns about weak password vulnerabilities. The breach comes at a critical time for the Archive, which is already facing legal challenges over its book-lending program, raising questions about its ability to safeguard its users.

Founder of the Internet Archive, Brewster Kahle, took to X to reassure users, stating, “The data is safe.” Kahle says the Archive could be back up in a matter of days as staff works on fixing the issues created by the attacks.

The data is safe.

Services are offline as we examine and strengthen them. Sorry, but needed. @internetarchive staff is working hard.

Estimated Timeline: days, not weeks.

Thank you for the offers of pizza (we are set).
— Brewster Kahle (@brewster_kahle) October 11, 2024

The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no government affiliation, is widely regarded as a vital digital preservation tool, allowing users to access archived websites, books, and media. The hackers indicated that more attacks could be forthcoming.

Tags: Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Hackers, Internet, Iran, Israel, National Archives, Palestine, Protests

Lauren Taylor

OVER 31 MILLION USERS’ DATA HAS BEEN EXPOSED IN A CYBERATTACK ON THE INTERNET ARCHIVE, A CORNERSTONE OF DIGITAL HISTORY PRESERVATION. THE PLATFORM, RESPONSIBLE FOR ARCHIVING BILLIONS OF WEB PAGES, SUFFERED A BREACH THAT HAS MANY ALARMED.

THE INTERNET ARCHIVE IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE DIGITAL MEMORY OF THE INTERNET. IT’S HOME TO ARCHIVED WEB PAGES, BOOKS, MUSIC, AND OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA, THANKS TO ITS RENOWNED “WAYBACK MACHINE.” THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION ALLOWS USERS TO BROWSE NEARLY A TRILLION ARCHIVED WEBSITES, CAPTURING SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE DISAPPEAR FROM THE INTERNET FOREVER. BUT THIS WEEK, THE ARCHIVE WAS VICTIM TO A CATASTROPHIC BREACH.

THE ATTACK STARTED WITH A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL OF SERVICE… OR D-DOS ATTACK, WHICH OVERWHELMS A WEBSITE BY FLOODING IT WITH TRAFFIC UNTIL IT CRASHES. THIS RENDERED THE ARCHIVE INACCESSIBLE FOR HOURS AT A TIME. MORE CONCERNING WAS THE THEFT OF USER DATA, INCLUDING PASSWORDS. WHILE THESE PASSWORDS WERE ENCRYPTED, WEAK PASSWORDS CAN STILL BE CRACKED, LEAVING USERS VULNERABLE.

THE GROUP CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY, AN ACCOUNT ON X KNOWN AS S-N BLACK META… CITED POLITICAL MOTIVES TIED TO U-S SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, MAKING THE ATTACK MORE THAN JUST A SECURITY BREACH… BUT ALSO PART OF A BROADER OPERATION STARTED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.

THE ACCOUNT ALSO INDICATED THERE MAY BE FUTURE ATTACKS PLANNED.

THIS COMES AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR THE INTERNET ARCHIVE. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE PLATFORM FACED LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM MAJOR PUBLISHERS FOR ITS BOOK-LENDING PROGRAM, BRINGING THE NONPROFIT’S FUTURE INTO QUESTION. WITH A DATA BREACH OF THIS MAGNITUDE, THE ARCHIVE’S ABILITY TO HOST MEDIA AND PROTECT ITS USERS IS NOW IN QUESTION.

WHILE THE ATTACKERS INDICATED THAT THESE ATTACKS WERE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED… THE INTERNET ARCHIVE IS A 501-C NONPROFIT, PUBLIC CHARITY AND HAS NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY GOVERNMENT OR AGENCY.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.