Wikipedia Severs Ties with Archive.today Amid DDoS Allegations
In a decisive move, Wikipedia’s editorial community has elected to sever all connections with Archive.today, a web archiving service previously cited over 695,000 times within the encyclopedia. This decision stems from serious allegations implicating Archive.today in unauthorized activities, including the execution of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and the manipulation of archived content.
Background on Archive.today
Archive.today, also known by domains such as archive.is and archive.ph, has been a valuable tool for accessing web content that is otherwise restricted by paywalls. Its utility in preserving and providing access to such content has made it a frequent source for Wikipedia citations.
The Decision to Blacklist
The Wikipedia community’s decision is documented on a discussion page, stating: There is consensus to immediately deprecate archive.today, and, as soon as practicable, add it to the spam blacklist […] and to forthwith remove all links to it. This marks a reversal from previous actions; Archive.today was blacklisted in 2013, removed from the blacklist in 2016, and now faces renewed exclusion.
Allegations of Malicious Activity
The primary catalyst for this action is the accusation that Archive.today engaged in activities compromising user security. Specifically, it is alleged that the site executed JavaScript code on users’ computers to perform DDoS attacks. Additionally, there is evidence suggesting that the operators of Archive.today have altered the content of archived pages, raising concerns about the reliability of the service.
The DDoS Incident
Blogger Jani Patokallio reported that starting January 11, users accessing Archive.today’s CAPTCHA page unknowingly executed JavaScript that sent search requests to his blog, Gyrovague. This activity appeared to be an attempt to draw his attention and inflate his hosting costs. Patokallio had previously examined Archive.today in a 2023 blog post, describing its ownership as an opaque mystery and suggesting it was likely a one-person labor of love, operated by a Russian of considerable talent and access to Europe.
Response from Archive.today
Following these events, the webmaster of Archive.today requested Patokallio to temporarily remove his critical blog post, expressing concerns about media misrepresentation. After Patokallio declined, the webmaster reportedly issued a series of escalating threats. Further complicating matters, snapshots of web pages archived by Archive.today appeared to have been altered to include Patokallio’s name, undermining the trustworthiness of the archive.
Implications for Wikipedia
In light of these developments, Wikipedia’s guidelines now instruct editors to remove links to Archive.today and its associated domains. Editors are advised to replace these links with those to the original sources or alternative archiving services like the Wayback Machine. This action underscores Wikipedia’s commitment to directing readers to reliable and secure resources.
Broader Context
This incident is not isolated. Wikipedia has previously faced challenges related to external entities compromising its integrity. For instance, in 2015, the platform banned hundreds of black hat paid editors who created promotional content without disclosure. Additionally, Wikipedia has been the target of DDoS attacks, such as the one in 2019 that disrupted access across Europe and the Middle East. These events highlight the ongoing challenges Wikipedia faces in maintaining the reliability and security of its content.
Conclusion
Wikipedia’s decision to blacklist Archive.today reflects a proactive stance in safeguarding the platform’s integrity and user trust. By eliminating links to a service implicated in unethical practices, Wikipedia reinforces its dedication to providing accurate and secure information to its global audience.
