Internet Archive wobbles back online, with limited functionality

The Internet Archive has come back online, in slightly degraded mode, after repelling an October 9 DDoS attack and then succumbing to a raid on users' data. For several days after the attack, the Archive loaded into the basic page depicted below. Archive.org's distress homepage Archive.org's distress homepage – Click to …

[graeme leggett]

Netscout not as helpful as could be

"many devices of a well-known home entertainment and IoT product were involved"

That just throws up questions

I may have a certain product in mind, but is it the one I think it is?

And if so and I happen to have that product what does that mean for me? Am I vulnerable to being exploited by neer-do-wells and can I prevent that?

[Yorick Hunt]

Re: Netscout not as helpful as could be

I'm thinking Alexa, Google Home/Nest, or similar - if it was a generic Chinese offering, its brand would be blared far and wide.

[David-M]

Re: Netscout not as helpful as could be

Well the article states devices in Korea and China, followed by Brazil, so I'm imagining not the ones you mentioned.

[wolfetone]

Re: Netscout not as helpful as could be

If it was a generic Chinese box then you'd just get a long list of 5/7 character words that mean fuck all.

[mbc]

Re: Netscout not as helpful as could be

I'm predicting it's an Android-based set-top box, like one of those Fire sticks or something like that. The countries involved make me think that maybe there's a rogue "free IPTV" app on there that is a Trojan horse. Let's see how clairvoyant I am!

[lglethal]

I'm just curious how the DDOS, led to the leaking of millions of users details?

Was it just that the DDOS was used as a distraction, to occupy the IT team, whilst the miscreants went about there intrusion?

[IGotOut]

That's quite a common method. You attack in a very visible way while sneaking in while everyone is distracted.

[Phil Koenig]

What I'd like to know is what kind of user details do they actually keep?

Discussion forum users?

[Sceptic Tank]

Restore Wayback Machine to a previously known good state.

Hamba Kahle hinternet archive.

(Already cringing when I imagine a European or American trying to pronounce that ....)

[Marty McFly]

My question is... Why?

The Internet Archive is hardly a politically charged or controversial website worthy of any DDOS efforts. Only plausible explanation is this was a test of some sort. Maybe testing the botnet, or the alleged new Mirai variant.

Could be an indicator of bigger DDOS attacks to come. Not like there isn't some sort of big political event coming in the next few weeks, destined to cause a flood of controversial information.... It is not a big stretch to see any website with 'election truth 2024' getting zorched off the Internet.

Ooooh, with the tinfoil hat on, really tight... Maybe a government operation to nuke any websites that don't have the officially sanctioned election narrative. Headline: "<Candidate name> stole the election" and suddenly their website goes offline.

Yeah, maybe the hat is on too tight. Good excuse to use this icon though.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: My question is... Why?

A website that prevents people rewriting history is naturally political and controversial and has enemies Regularly used by journalists when organisations remove the “we own your first born” section from their terms of service, once it becomes news. Not to mention giving blocked content a mirror. You might be right about this being a test but there are plenty of powerful people who don’t like society having a memory.

[Yes Me]

Re: My question is... Why?

I cannot upvote that more than once, but +1000. That is the whole point: an irrefutable archive makes people who lie for a living very, very nervous. There's very possibly big money behind this assault.

This isn't the first time: https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/29/ddos_internet_archive/

Pure coincidence that the Archive is in a legal fight with the copyright industry, as the Vulture has previously reported: https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/20/internet_archive_lawsuit_latest/

[Phil Koenig]

Re: My question is... Why?

I seem to recall some sort of pitched controversy recently over their practice of keeping copies of music, videos and books.

The publishers of those things appear to be quite unhappy about it these days.

Other than that, the USA is about to vote for president in a few weeks (along with various other posts around the country), and I can think of some dirty laundry that certain candidates would probably wish was not easily viewable...

[John Brown (no body)]

Great fireewall of China?

"Most of the hosts spewing traffic at the Archive were devices "in Korea and China, followed by Brazil."

I guess the Great Firewall of China is selective in what it blocks both outbound and inbound then?