In the annual Toronto Public Library (TPL) year-end message, City Librarian Vickery Bowles characterized the library as being a “crime scene.” The TPL is the largest public library system in Canada, and has been recognized as being one of the busiest libraries in North America. It serves millions who live, study, or work in Toronto with one hundred branches, providing free access to books, movies, magazines, musical instruments, computers, and the internet. The sheer size and influence of the TPL makes it an attractive institution for a ransomware attack, which is defined by the Canadian Center for Cybersecurity as occurring when “cybercriminals use malicious software to encrypt, steal, or delete data, then demand a ransom payment to restore it.” In late October 2023, the TPL fell victim to such an attack, abruptly thwarting their services, leaving users scrambling to find alternatives and decision-makers rushing to find a viable solution.
As a result of the ransomware attack, many of the TPL’s services to the public became unavailable. This involved access to its website, placing holds on books, and checking out, returning, and renewing books digitally. Public computers and printing in the library were also shut down. Consequently, librarians had to revert to other methods, such as manually keeping track of books checked out by users, leading to various complications and delays in the circulation of materials.
Moreover, the TPL announced that current and former employees’ dating back to 1988 private information like home addresses, copies of their government identification, and social insurance numbers were stolen, and that this data might end up on the dark web. The TPL has been working with cybersecurity experts, the Toronto Police Service, and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario to address the breach, and has offered two years of free credit monitoring services for its impacted staff.
The TPL has said that their system will be back to normal functioning in January 2024.
The TPL, like all public libraries, is central to the functioning of a civil and democratic society. It serves the community both as a public utility and social network through equitable access to materials and information, and fostering intellectual freedom. While the disruption to the library might have gone unnoticed by some, access to public computers and printers is vital to marginalized communities to be informed on the news, print necessary forms, and apply to jobs, housing, and government services. The TPL has long been a refuge for communities to come together and utilize its resources in a steadily polarized reality. This attack highlights the importance of the library system, and the human impact of these attacks through the reliance of many on this important institution of the city. There must be an increased investment into these types of services and broader protection through updated infrastructure to prevent future attacks on similar societal institutions.