The Internet Archive and its services, including the Wayback Machine, were affected by a massive data breach that affected more than 31 million users
The Internet Archive, a popular online library and its services, including the Wayback Machine and Open Library, suffered a massive data breach that compromised the personal information of 31 million users. It was previously reported that the problem started with a DDoS attack, but later it turned out that there was also a large-scale data compromise. The attackers were able to gain access to users’ email addresses, their usernames and bcrypt password hashes.
The hack date is tentatively set as September 28, 2024, according to Have I Been Pwned (HIBP). It is suspected that the target of the attack was the servers of the Internet Archive, in particular its databases and crypto services.
The Internet Archive was founded in 1996 as an online library that stores archived versions of websites, videos, audio, books and software. Despite the popularity of its core services, such as the Wayback Machine, security issues have been raised repeatedly due to the limited financial resources and donations on which the organization is based.
Users are advised to check their details on HIBP and update their passwords on other platforms if they have used the same details.