On Wednesday, the London Public Library stated that certain workers’ personal information was stolen by the hackers responsible for the incident. However, there is no proof that the personal information of library users was compromised in the cyberattack on London Public Library.
The London Public Library has issued an official release stating that it had informed the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) about the cyberattack and the compromise of personal data.
“Although the investigation is ongoing, it has thus far revealed that the personal information of some London Public Library employees has been accessed by the perpetrators of the attack. There is no indication that personal information belonging to Library patrons has been accessed,” reads the official release.
Update of Cyberattack on London Public Library
The announcement concerning Library services and systems, stated that the access to OverDrive/Libby ebook and audiobook platforms, along with other digital resources. Additionally, Library WiFi, telephone services, and email systems have all been restored.
The London Public Library has set up a temporary website on which it will provide updates when services like Wi-Fi at branches and access to the ebook and audiobook platforms Overdrive and Libby are restored.
Furthermore, they are actively working to reassure its patrons who have either paid fees or made online donations. It is important to note that the compromised information does not include any credit card details. This is because online library fee payments and donations are processed through external banking platforms, which have remained unaffected by the cyberattack.
In a positive outlook, the library anticipates the resumption of public computer access in the near future. The institution also assures its community that efforts are underway to fully restore lending and catalog services, emphasizing its commitment to providing a seamless and secure experience for all library users.
The official release read, “We are hopeful that public computer access will be available very soon and we are continuing to work at restoring the Library’s catalog and lending systems, including holds, returns, and check-ins of books and other physical items.”
The Background
On December 20, 2023, officials announced that the cyberattack on London Public Library that happened on December 13 was the cause of the branch closures and service interruptions. With the help of an external security company, they are working to mitigate the damage.
Following the cyberattack on London Public Library, the officials decided to hire cybersecurity specialists to look into the security breach and restore its systems. The type of information that was hacked and the number of employees who were impacted in the cyberattack on the London Public Library were not disclosed then.
Three smaller branches of the library were closed for over three weeks. In the immediate wake of the cyberattack on London Public Library, almost all of its systems and services were unavailable, including its digital resources, website, catalogue, Wi-Fi, email, phones, laptops, and printing capabilities. It was also unable to place holds on items.
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