Hackers Leaked Identifying Data From 31 Million Internet Archive Users

This month, an attack on the world's largest online archive — whose purpose is to provide "universal access to all knowledge" — compromised millions of users' information and prompted the site to shut down temporarily.

According to the website Have I Been Pwnd, the hack on the Internet Archive exposed identifiable information from over 31 million user accounts, including patron email addresses and encrypted passwords.

Hackers stole information from 31 million Internet Archive users

The Internet Archive, a San Francisco-based non-profit that runs on a shoestring budget, offers free access to its massive digitized library of current and historical websites, software applications, and printed documents. 

Following the attack, the organization stated that its massive cache of archive information was "safe."

IA stated that it briefly shut down the whole site to "access and improve our security." By Friday, the majority of its services had been restored, including the Wayback Machine, a website archival tool. 

The IA stated that it was working "around the clock" and throughout the weekend to restore the rest of its services safely.

Read next: Nintendo Ranks in "Top 10" of Metacritic's 14th Annual Game Publisher Rankings