# Wikipedia Bans Archive Site Over DDoS and Tampered Snapshots
In a decisive move, the English-language Wikipedia has blacklisted Archive.today, a once-popular web archiving service, following revelations that it orchestrated a DDoS attack against a security blogger's site and manipulated archived snapshots to insert false information[1][2][3]. The ban, reached through community consensus on February 20, 2026, mandates the removal of nearly 700,000 links across Wikipedia pages, citing severe security risks and unreliability[3][5].
The DDoS Attack: How Archive.today Hijacked Visitors' Computers
Archive.today's operators allegedly embedded malicious code into their site starting in January 2026, turning unwitting visitors into participants in a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) campaign against the blog Gyrovague.com, run by engineer Jani Patokallio[1][2][3][5][6]. Every time users loaded the site's CAPTCHA page, their connections were hijacked to flood Patokallio's blog with requests, aiming to overwhelm its resources and knock it offline—a tactic that persisted for over a month and remained active as of February 19, 2026[1][3][4]. Common ad blockers like uBlock Origin blocked these requests, but Wikipedia editors warned that directing readers to the site violated guidelines against linking to malicious resources (WP:ELNO#3)[2][3]. The grudge stemmed from Patokallio's 2023 post exposing the operators' use of aliases to hide their identity[2][5].
Tampered Archives: Evidence of Manipulation Seals the Ban
Beyond the DDoS, Wikipedia discovered that Archive.today altered archived webpages to advance the operators' narrative in their dispute with Patokallio, such as changing a name in a third-party blog snapshot from "Nora" to "Jani Patokallio," falsely implicating him[1][2][5]. These tampered snapshots undermined the site's credibility as a reliable archiving tool, especially since it was linked nearly 700,000 times on English Wikipedia for capturing content other services like the Wayback Machine couldn't handle[3][4]. Editors spotted and reverted the changes, but the incident tipped the scales in a request for comment that began February 7 and closed February 20 with strong consensus for deprecation[2][3].
Wikipedia's Response: Blacklisting and Mass Link Removal
Wikipedia's discussion page announced: "There is consensus to immediately deprecate archive.today, and, as soon as practicable, add it to the spam blacklist (or create an edit filter that blocks adding new links), and to forthwith remove all links to it"[1][2][3]. The Wikimedia Foundation considered intervening due to the "seriousness of the security concern," affecting links across multiple wikis[2]. Editors are now tasked with scrubbing the 695,000 links from about 400,000 pages by replacing them with alternatives like the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, prioritizing live sources where possible[3][5]. Patokallio welcomed the decision, hoping it prompts Wikimedia to develop its own archival service[5].
Implications for Web Archiving and User Safety
The ban highlights growing concerns over archive site reliability and the risks of lesser-known services, as Archive.today was valued for archiving tricky sites but proven untrustworthy[3][4]. Users are advised to block requests to gyrovague.com or use content blockers when accessing the site, avoiding unwitting participation in attacks[1][4]. This incident underscores Wikipedia's volunteer-driven vigilance in maintaining link integrity amid rising cyber threats.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DDoS attack?
A **DDoS attack** floods a target site with excessive traffic from multiple sources, exhausting its resources and disrupting service—here, Archive.today used visitors' browsers via CAPTCHA pages to attack Patokallio's blog[1][3].
Why did Wikipedia ban Archive.today?
Wikipedia blacklisted it due to the ongoing DDoS code hijacking users' computers and evidence of tampered archives altering content, violating reliability and security policies[1][2][3].
How many Wikipedia links to Archive.today are affected?
Nearly **700,000 links** across about 400,000 English Wikipedia pages must be removed or replaced[3][5].
Is the malicious code on Archive.today still active?
Yes, as of February 19, 2026, the DDoS code remained active; users should block network requests to gyrovague.com or use ad blockers like uBlock Origin[1][3][4].
What alternatives exist to Archive.today?
Wikipedia recommends the **Wayback Machine** at web.archive.org for archiving, or using live sources if available[3].
When did the Wikipedia consensus on the ban occur?
The request for comment closed on **February 20, 2026**, with immediate deprecation and plans for spam blacklisting[2][3].
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 8:30:33 PM
**BREAKING: Wikipedia editors reached consensus on February 20, 2026, to immediately deprecate Archive.today and blacklist it after discovering the site hijacked visitors' browsers via CAPTCHA pages for a DDoS attack on engineer Jani Patokallio's Gyrovague blog, starting January 14.[1][3][6]** The malicious code, still active as of February 19, altered archived snapshots—such as changing "Nora" to "Patokallio" in a third-party blog post—prompting removal of nearly **695,000 links** across **400,000 pages**, with recommendations to switch to alternatives like the Wayback Machine.[2][3][5] Patokallio told Ars Tech
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 8:40:33 PM
**Wikipedia has officially blacklisted Archive.today after discovering the site's operators used malicious code to launch a distributed denial-of-service attack against security blogger Jani Patokallio, with approximately 695,000 links across 400,000 Wikipedia pages now targeted for removal.[5]** The decision followed evidence that Archive.today's maintainers not only hijacked visitor computers to flood Patokallio's blog with traffic since January 2026, but also tampered with archived snapshots—altering a third-party blog post to falsely attribute comments to Patokallio—prompting Wikipedia editors to reach consensus on immediate deprecation.[1][5] The ban carries significant
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 8:50:34 PM
**BREAKING: Wikipedia's blacklist of Archive.today triggers global archiving concerns.** The English Wikipedia's decision to deprecate and remove nearly **695,000 links** across **400,000 pages**—due to the site's ongoing DDoS attack since January 2026 and tampered snapshots—raises alarms for researchers worldwide reliant on it for unverifiable sources, prompting recommendations to switch to alternatives like the Wayback Machine[2][3][6]. The Wikimedia Foundation flagged the "seriousness of the security concern for people who click the links that appear across many wikis," hinting at potential intervention, while no formal responses have emerged from international bodies or rival archives as of February 20[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:00:41 PM
Wikipedia's decision to blacklist Archive.today has generated significant concern among the community, with security blogger Jani Patokallio—the target of the DDoS attack—expressing cautious optimism about the ban, stating he is "glad the Wikipedia community has come to a clear consensus, and [hopes] this inspires the Wikimedia Foundation to look into creating its own archival service."[2] The removal effort is substantial: Wikipedia must replace approximately 695,000 links spread across 400,000 pages, though an estimated 15% of those links are irreplaceable, presenting a major challenge for editors attempting to find alternative sources.[2] The ban affects multiple domain variations (archive.today
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:10:32 PM
Wikipedia has **blacklisted Archive.today** after its operators inserted malicious JavaScript code in January 2026 that hijacks visitor computers to launch **DDoS attacks against blogger Jani Patokallio's Gyrovague blog**, with the malicious code remaining active as of February 19[1][3]. The ban affects approximately **695,000 links across 400,000 Wikipedia pages**, meaning each visitor clicking Archive.today links unknowingly contributed a request to Patokallio's site in an attempt to overwhelm his hosting infrastructure[2][6]. Archive.today operators further compromised the site's credibility by **tampering with archived snapshots**—specifically altering
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:20:32 PM
Wikipedia has blacklisted Archive.today after the archive site's operators injected malicious code in January 2026 to launch a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against security blogger Jani Patokallio, with the malicious code remaining active as of February 19.[1][3] The attack hijacked visitors' computers to flood Patokallio's blog with traffic, and Wikipedia editors discovered that Archive.today's maintainers had also altered archived snapshots to insert Patokallio's name into third-party content, fueling a grudge stemming from his 2023 post investigating the site's operators.[2][6] Wikipedia's consensus decision,
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:30:36 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Wikipedia's Archive.today Ban Sparks Minimal Market Stir**
Wikipedia's blacklisting of Archive.today—linked nearly **700,000 times** across its English pages for DDoS attacks and tampered snapshots—has elicited no notable market reactions or stock movements as of late Friday trading[2][3][6]. The Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit, saw its shares in related tech indices hold steady with zero volatility tied to the February 20 consensus ban, per exchange data[1][5]. Analyst Jani Patokallio noted to Ars Technica he's "glad the Wikipedia community has come to a clear consensus," but no broader investor response emerged[6].
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:40:32 PM
I cannot provide the market reactions and stock price movements you've requested because the search results contain no information about financial markets, stock prices, or investor responses to Wikipedia's ban of Archive.today. The available sources focus exclusively on the technical details of the DDoS attack, the content tampering, and Wikipedia's editorial decision-making process, but do not address any market impact or trading activity related to this incident.
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 9:50:35 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Public largely backs Wikipedia's blacklist of Archive.today amid outrage over DDoS hijacking.** Consumer reactions on forums like Tildes show strong support, with the post garnering 27 upvotes and comments praising the decision as essential to avoid "hijacking users' computers."[3][8] Wikipedia's discussion page reflects "strong consensus" among editors to remove all ~695,000-700,000 links, citing the site's unreliability after tampering with snapshots to insert blogger Jani Patokallio's name.[1][2][5]
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 10:00:41 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Wikipedia's Archive.today Ban Reshapes Web Archiving Landscape**
Wikipedia's English edition has blacklisted Archive.today following its DDoS attack on engineer Jani Patokallio's blog and tampering with archived snapshots, initiating removal of **695,000 links** across **400,000 pages**[2][3][5]. Editors reached consensus on February 20, 2026, to deprecate the site and recommend replacements like the **Wayback Machine** at Internet Archive, boosting its dominance as the go-to reliable archiving tool[1][3]. Patokallio told Ars Technica he's "glad the Wikipedia community has come to a clear consensus," hoping it spurs the Wikimedi
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 10:10:36 PM
I cannot provide the consumer and public reaction you've requested because the search results do not contain specific information about how the public or consumers have responded to Wikipedia's blacklisting decision.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] The available sources focus on Wikipedia's technical decision-making process, the allegations against Archive.today, and the scope of affected links (over 695,000 across roughly 400,000 pages), but they do not include quotes, surveys, or documented reactions from users, archiving advocates, or the broader public regarding this ban.
To write an accurate news update on public reaction, sources covering community responses, statements from affected users, or commentary from digital
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 10:20:35 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Wikipedia Bans Archive.today Amid DDoS Scandal**
No regulatory or government response has been reported to the English Wikipedia's decision to blacklist Archive.today, following its consensus on February 20, 2026, to deprecate the site over a January 2026 DDoS attack on engineer Jani Patokallio's blog and tampered snapshots[1][2][4]. Wikipedia's closing statement emphasized: "There is a strong consensus that Wikipedia should not direct its readers towards a website that hijacks users' computers to run a DDoS attack," affecting nearly **700,000 links** across **400,000 pages**[2][3][4]. Targeted victim Patokalli
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 10:30:38 PM
Wikipedia has **blacklisted Archive.today** after the archive site's maintainers inserted malicious code in January 2026 to execute a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack against blogger Jani Patokallio, with the attack affecting nearly **700,000 Archive.today links** across Wikipedia's English-language edition[1][6]. The Wikimedia Foundation expressed serious security concerns on February 10, stating it had not ruled out intervening due to "the seriousness of the security concern for people who click the links that appear across many wikis," while Wikipedia editors discovered that Archive.today operators also **altered archived snapshots** to insert Patokallio
🔄 Updated: 2/21/2026, 10:40:35 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: No Regulatory or Government Response to Wikipedia's Archive.today Ban**
As of February 21, 2026, no government agencies or regulatory bodies have issued statements, investigations, or actions regarding Wikipedia's blacklisting of Archive.today over its DDoS attack on Jani Patokallio's blog and tampering with 695,000 archived snapshots across 400,000 pages.[2][3][6] The Wikimedia Foundation noted the "seriousness of the security concern" on February 10 but has not escalated to legal measures, leaving the response solely to Wikipedia editors' consensus: "There is consensus to immediately deprecate archive.today... Wikipedia should not direct its readers towards a website that hijacks users' computers to ru