The Internet Archive, the renowned digital library that has preserved 916 billion web pages, has announced the return of its Wayback Machine in a provisional, read-only mode. This comes after the site was taken offline last week due to multiple distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and a data breach affecting 31 million user records.
The @internetarchive’s Wayback Machine resumed in a provisional, read-only manner.
— Brewster Kahle (@brewster_kahle) October 14, 2024
Sorry, no Save Page Now yet.
Safe to resume but might need further maintenance, in which case it will be suspended again.
Please be gentle https://t.co/sb5tlvxQ26
More as it happens.
In a post on the Internet Archive’s website, founder Brewster Kahle stated that it is now “safe to resume” the Wayback Machine’s operations, though he cautioned that it “might need further maintenance, in which case it will be suspended again.” The “Save Page Now” feature, which allows users to manually capture web pages, remains unavailable for the time being.
The Internet Archive, founded in 1996, is a non-profit organization that has been at the forefront of preserving the digital history of the internet. With a staff of 150 people, the organization has amassed an impressive collection of web pages, videos, audio files, and books, providing free access to a vast trove of digital content. This includes manually uploaded content by volunteers and content legally scraped by their web bot.
However, the recent attacks on the site have highlighted the challenges faced by such digital repositories. The DDoS attacks, which overwhelmed the site’s servers, and the data breach, which exposed the personal information of 31 million registered users, have forced the Internet Archive to prioritize data safety over service availability.
As the Wayback Machine returns to a read-only mode, the Internet Archive is working to upgrade its security measures and ensure the continued preservation of its vast digital collection. Kahle has expressed gratitude for the offers of support, including pizza, from the community, underscoring the importance of the Internet Archive’s mission and the dedication of its supporters.
The temporary suspension of the Internet Archive’s services serves as a reminder of the fragility of the digital world and the ongoing efforts required to safeguard our collective digital heritage. As the Wayback Machine resumes its operations, users can once again access the vast repository of web pages preserved by the Internet Archive, while the organization continues to work towards a more secure and resilient future.