The Internet Archive is back as a read-only service after cyberattacks
The Internet Archive is back online in a read-only state after a cyberattack brought down the digital library and Wayback Machine last week. A data breach and DDoS attack kicked the site offline on October 9th, with a user authentication database containing 31 million unique records also stolen in recent weeks.
The Internet Archive is now back online in a “provisional, read-only manner,” according to founder Brewster Kahle. “Safe to resume but might need further maintenance, in which case it will be suspended again.”
While you can access the Wayback Machine to search 916 billion web pages that have been archived over time, you can’t currently capture an existing web page into the archive. Kahle and team have gradually been restoring Archive.org services in recent days, including bringing back the team’s email accounts and its crawlers for National Libraries. Services have been offline so that Internet Archive staff can examine and strengthen them against future attacks.
A pop-up from a purported hacker claimed the archive had suffered a “catastrophic security breach” last week, before Have I Been Pwned confirmed data was stolen. The theft included email addresses, screen names, hashed passwords, and other internal data for 31 million unique email accounts.
The Internet Archive outage came just weeks after Google started adding links to archived websites in the Wayback Machine. Google removed its own cached pages links earlier this year, so having the Wayback Machine linked in Google search results is a useful way to access older versions of websites or archived pages.
The Internet Archive is back online in a read-only state after a cyberattack brought down the digital library and Wayback Machine last week. A data breach and DDoS attack kicked the site offline on October 9th, with a user authentication database containing 31 million unique records also stolen in recent…
Recent Posts
- Incredible PC case that packs AMD + Radeon and Intel + GeForce into a single unit gets first review — Thermaltake CAPO X hides the PSU in plain view but remains a build for expert PC DIYers
- What is the cheapest new gaming console you can buy in 2026?
- NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, October 25 (game #1232)
- Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, October 25 (game #1735)
- Customizable split mechanical keyboard with integrated central touchpad goes on preorder for $160 — and this 3-pound slab is wireless and doesn’t come with an infamous Copilot key
Archives
- October 2026
- September 2026
- August 2026
- July 2026
- June 2026
- May 2026
- April 2026
- March 2026
- February 2026
- January 2026
- December 2025
- November 2025
- October 2025
- September 2025
- August 2025
- July 2025
- June 2025
- May 2025
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023