Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle has confirmed that user data is "safe" following a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack that temporarily took the service offline. The Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library, hosts millions of texts, films, software, music, and web pages, offering free access to tools like the Wayback Machine for retrieving lost websites.
Recently, users encountered a security breach notification on the site, which Kahle later confirmed was due to the DDoS attack. Although the attack was repelled, it caused disruptions, including issues with the JavaScript library and potential exposure of email addresses, usernames, and passwords. However, the extent of the impact on 31 million user profiles, as suggested by Troy Hunt of Have I Been Pwned?, remains unconfirmed.
Kahle stated that measures have been taken in response to the attack, such as disabling the JavaScript library, cleaning systems, and launching security updates. Currently, the Internet Archive is "temporarily" offline, with the Wayback Machine restored in a read-only format.
He reassured users that data is secure and that services will be restored in "days, not weeks" as they enhance security. Subservices of Archive.org will resume safely when possible, and while the Wayback Machine is deemed secure to restart, it may require further maintenance.