Internet Archive is Under DDoS Attack For Several Hours

The Internet Archive, a renowned non-profit digital library dedicated to preserving web content, experienced a significant Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on May 27, 2024.

This incident made most of its services temporarily unavailable, but the data was not affected.

The DDoS attack on the Internet Archive began in the early hours of May 27, 2024. The organization confirmed the attack via its social media channels, including X (formerly Twitter) and Mastodon, stating that while the data was secure, the majority of their services were disrupted.

The attack was described as a “back and forth battle” with the attackers, requiring continuous adjustments to mitigate the impact.

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The immediate effect of the DDoS attack was the unavailability of the Internet Archive’s services, which include the Wayback Machine, a crucial tool for accessing archived web pages.

Users reported difficulties accessing the site and its resources, sparking frustration and concern within the digital preservation community.

Despite the disruption, the Internet Archive’s team actively working to restore services, achieving significant progress within a few hours.

The attack on the Internet Archive drew widespread criticism and concern from various online communities. On platforms like Reddit and Hacker News, users expressed their dismay, likening the attack to “setting fire to a library.”

While this attack did not impact the Archive’s data, the temporary disruption of services underscores the fragility of even large, well-resourced online platforms in the face of determined bad actors.

The motives behind the attack remain speculative. Some suggest it could be an attempt to censor or destroy digital records, while others believe it might be a random act by individuals testing their capabilities.

This incident highlights the vulnerability of even well-established digital repositories to cyberattacks. The Internet Archive, which houses millions of historical documents and websites, is critical in preserving digital history.

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