British Library Initiates Restoration of Digital Services Following Cyber-Attack

The British Library is in the process of restoring its main catalogue, housing 36 million records of printed and rare books, maps, journals, and music scores, after facing a severe cyber-attack that occurred 11 weeks ago. The attack, attributed to the Rhysida ransomware group, disrupted online access to the library’s critical resources.

The restoration efforts are underway, but access is currently limited to a “read-only” format. According to Sir Roly Keating, the chief executive of the library, the full recovery of all services is anticipated to be a gradual process, extending potentially until the end of the year.

The cyber-attack, which took place on October 31, impacted the library’s main catalogue, a crucial tool for researchers globally. Rhysida claimed responsibility for the attack, and in November, the library confirmed the theft of some employee data, which was subsequently offered for sale on the dark web.

Despite the ongoing restoration, the process will require time, and Keating apologized for the inconvenience caused to researchers who depend on the library’s collection for their studies. The main catalogue’s online revival will enable users to search for items, but procedures for checking availability and ordering items for library reading rooms will see alterations.

Access to key special collections, including archives and manuscripts, will be restored for readers. However, users will need to visit in person to consult offline versions of specialist catalogues. Keating acknowledged that these processes might be slower and more manual but emphasized their significance to the library’s public service.

The library is focused on making further progress in restoring access to content at its Boston Spa site near Leeds and parts of its digital collections that remain unavailable. While addressing the aftermath of the cyber-attack, Keating expressed apologies for the failure to protect personal data and reassured users that steps were taken to ensure timely payments to authors under the UK Public Lending Right system.

There have been speculations about the potential costs of the recovery program, with estimates suggesting up to £7 million. Keating clarified that such figures were premature, and the library is yet to confirm the full costs. Workaround systems are being implemented to facilitate payments to authors, with further details expected by the end of January.

Throughout the recovery process, the British Library has collaborated with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Metropolitan Police, the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, and other cybersecurity specialists. The NCSC has emphasized the significance of robust cyber defenses against ransomware, considering it a key cyber-threat facing the UK.

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