London, Ontario public library services shut down after cyberattack
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The London Public Library in Ontario, Canada, had to suspend most of its services due to a cyberattack, impacting various facilities including:
- phones,
- email,
- WiFi,
- website,
- catalogs,
- printers,
- computers,
- digital resources.
No details are disclosed about the nature of the attack, nor whether there are any personal data impacted.
The library, serving over 422,000 residents, had to close several branches, with the Carson, Glanworth, and Lambeth branches expected to remain shut until January 2.
Investigations by experts are ongoing, but restoration of systems is anticipated to take time. The cyberattack has disrupted access to essential services for many, including low-income residents reliant on the library's WiFi.
This incident follows recent ransomware attacks on other major libraries including the Toronto Public Library and the British Library, highlighting a global issue affecting libraries' cybersecurity.
The rise in such attacks is caused by attractiveness of libraries as 'soft' targets due to their limited internal technical resource, wide access and cyber insurance coverage.
