British Library digital services offline after cyberattack, Rhysida claims responsibility.
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The British Library has been hit by a cyberattack, leading to the unavailability of several of its digital services, including its online repository of thousands of PhD dissertations, for an extended period, likely lasting for weeks.
The library has experienced significant disruption to its website and online systems, including public Wi-Fi, due to a "major technology outage" resulting from a ransomware attack carried out by an unnamed hacker group. While efforts are underway to restore many of the services in the coming weeks, some disruptions may persist for an extended duration.
The national library of the United Kingdom has taken protective measures in response to the attack to safeguard the integrity of its systems. A thorough forensic investigation, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre, the Metropolitan Police, and cybersecurity specialists, has been initiated to uncover the details of the incident.
The attack is believed to have occurred in late October, causing difficulties for users attempting to access collections and the library's website for several weeks. Beyond impeding access to its online catalog of over 57 million records, the attack has also affected the EThOS service, which hosts more than 600,000 PhD theses. Many UK universities require their doctoral graduates to submit an electronic version of their dissertations upon completion. Digitization services are also unavailable at present.
Certain digitized research resources, such as the Artstor digital library, remain accessible, along with library catalog functions and various library blogs.
Update - The Rhysida ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on the British Library. Rhysida is auctioning off the data it reportedly stole from the United Kingdom's national library systems, with the gang accepting bids from interested parties over the next seven days.
British Library staff passports have been leaked online as the ransomware hackers demand £600,000 for the documents, paid in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The images included passport photos and HMRC employment records.
