The Queens Public Library system is being held for ransom.
In a bizarre turn of events, on Wednesday November 4th, New York City’s Queens Public Library (QPL) system, which operates 66 branches, experienced an attack on its online networks by a hacker. The entire system is offline, and is being
On Wednesday, November 4th, the Queens Public Library (QPL) system, comprising 66 branches, fell victim to a cyber attack orchestrated by an unknown hacker. The entire network is currently offline, causing a disruption to the library's web services, in-library computers, checkout and return machines, Wi-Fi, mobile application, and digital media offerings.
The extent of the ransom demand and the identity of the perpetrator remain undisclosed. QPL CEO Dennis Walcott stated, "Unfortunately, it's part of the world that we live in right now. So the Queens Public Library is a victim of the type of world that we're living in, where people are launching cyber attacks against various types of entities, large corporations, and now Queens Public Library."
Despite its diminutive size as a nonprofit, the QPL system is crucial in providing free access to books, literary resources, internet access, printing services, education opportunities, and community programs to the diverse population of Queens, one of the most ethnically and linguistically varied areas globally. The extent to which user data might have been compromised is also as yet unknown. However, QPL patrons can still complete check-ins and check-outs using traditional methods.
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