The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine has resumed operations in a read-only state following a series of cyberattacks that took the platform offline on October 9. Founder Brewster Kahleannounced this development, emphasizing that while users can access archived pages, they cannot save new content at this time.
Background on the Attacks
The recent disruptions were triggered by a data breach that exposed over 31 million user records, coinciding with a DDoS attack. Security researcher Troy Hunt noted that the timing of these events might be coincidental, involving multiple parties. The hacking group BlackMeta claimed responsibility for the DDoS attacks, asserting that the Internet Archive “belongs to the USA.”
Current Status and User Guidance
Kahle reassured users that it is “safe to resume” using the Wayback Machine for browsing nostalgic content, but warned that further maintenance may be necessary, potentially leading to additional outages. Users are encouraged to remain cautious and consider changing their passwords due to the breach.As the Internet Archive works to bolster its security measures and restore full functionality, it remains a vital resource for accessing historical web content.
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