Dewey have our Wi-Fi back? Not yet, says Seattle Public Library
The library declined to disclose details about the nature of the attack, saying doing so may "compromise progress being made," said spokesperson Laura Gentry. Seattle Public Library's systems remain partially offline two weeks after a ransomware attack, leaving users and librarians forced to rely on a patchwork system of replacements. The library is still working on restoring some of its digital and in-person services after the attack on May 25. This is the first known cybersecurity event targeting the library. The University of Washington cybersecurity professor, Jessica L. Beyer, described the attack as “double jeopardy” as an organization that doesn't pay a ransom may not regain access to its files again and attackers can sell the files on the dark web. The outage is particularly affecting users who rely on free Wi-Fi or access to material for school or work. Despite not disclosing the nature of the attack, the library declined to disclose details, citing concerns that it could compromise progress being made. The incident is affecting patrons' personal information.
公開済み : 3週間前 沿って Lauren Girgis の Tech
As Seattle Public Library’s systems remain partially offline two weeks after a ransomware attack, users and librarians have been forced to rely on a patchwork system of replacements.
The library is still working on restoring some of its digital and in-person services after a ransomware attack discovered on May 25. This is the first known cybersecurity event targeting the library, a spokesperson said last week. A ransomware attack restricts access to data or devices until a ransom is paid.
In the past decade, ransomware has become a professionalized, lucrative industry. Jessica L. Beyer, a cybersecurity professor at the University of Washington, described ransomware as “double jeopardy,” because an organization that doesn’t pay a ransom may not gain access to its files again and attackers can sell the files on the dark web. Sometimes, paying the ransom can be cheaper than trying to fix the systems, Beyer said.
It remains unclear if users’ personal information was compromised. The library said it would notify individuals directly if their personal info was stolen.
“We are an organization that prides itself on providing you answers, and we are sorry that the information we can share is limited,” the library said online.
The library declined to disclose details about the nature of the attack, saying doing so may “compromise progress being made,” said spokesperson Laura Gentry. Gentry said the library is working with external organizations specializing in forensics and recovery and declined to name the organizations.
Gentry declined to share details about the ransom attackers are demanding. She said Tuesday the library has “much work left to do before full recovery”.
Access to digital materials and services, including e-books and e-audiobooks through Libby, remained unavailable as of Tuesday evening.
Users also can’t access in-building internet, computers or the online catalog to place new holds. Printing and copying are unavailable, too. Library branches have been sharing with patrons where else in their neighborhoods they can access Wi-Fi and printer or scanner services.
Library branches are still open, and people can check out books, CDs and DVDs. Patrons are asked to keep their checked out books for now, though. The library does not charge late fees. People who visit the library should bring their physical library card or card number.
People with a Seattle Public Library card can sign up for a card from other Western Washington library systems through reciprocal borrowing agreements.
Many of the library’s ProQuest databases were restored Tuesday, including eLibrary. Kanopy and Hoopla are also online.
The outage is particularly impacting people who rely on free Wi-Fi or access to material for school or work.
Ryan Davis, who works in independent film, often has to stay on top of film releases — and the library helps her stay up to date.
“The library gets tons of new stuff,” Davis said. “That’s one of the things I really miss is that once a week I would go in and see what the new acquisitions are.”
Restoring the technological infrastructure impacted by a ransomware attack can be complicated and time consuming. An organization has to find out what files it’s been locked out of and rebuild them from scratch, Beyer said.
“Libraries are kind of a weird target,” Beyer said. “My guess is it’s some organization from outside the U.S. that doesn’t really understand how the Seattle Public Library works.”
Beyer said that because the library serves different functions, many of which have nothing to do with computers, it’s more resilient than a lot of other organizations may be when impacted by a ransomware attack. Librarians have been relying on backup paper systems to check out books, which they’ll enter into the system once it’s back online.
Sometimes, getting back online after a ransomware attack can take months — as it did in the case of the British Library ransomware attack in October 2023.
The Seattle Public Library does not yet have an estimated time of full resolution.