Cyberattack disrupts Calgary Public Library

Canada’s Calgary Public Library has confirmed significant service disruptions across its 22 branches due to a cyberattack last week, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

All servers and library computers have been taken down on Friday due to the incident, resulting in the unavailability of digital and technology services, as well as book returns across all locations, according to Calgary Public Library, which noted the continuation of all scheduled programs this week, as well as regular operations by Wednesday despite uncertainties in the schedule of total systems restoration. Such a development comes amid mounting ransomware intrusions against libraries during the past two years, with both the Seattle Public Library and the British Library experiencing weeks-long disruptions due to separate incidents earlier this year. Moreover, separate ransomware attacks against the Toronto Public Library and Ontario’s London Public Library last year led not only to data exfiltration but also Wi-Fi access and digital library access issues.