The identities and personal information of 800 people were published on a pro-ISIS website after the Arkansas Library Association’s website was hacked.
Members of the association work in libraries across Arkansas including college, school, state, and court libraries. The information posted contained the victims’ names, where they work, and their email addresses.
ISIS has used the internet to release personal information before and uses the lists to call upon supporters who will target the people on the list. ISIS released a similar hit list earlier this year naming 3,600 New Yorkers. The FBI and New York Police Department contacted those named and offered security advice.
Unlike the New York situation, the FBI and Arkansas State Police have left the follow-up process to the library association.
Bill Sadler, a spokesperson for the Arkansas State Police, told Newsweek, "All I can tell you is that the Arkansas State Police is aware of the breach of the server. The Arkansas police does not have an open investigation and, as far as any notifications, that would be within the purview of the agency who lost the data."
The FBI contacted Lynda Hampel, the webmaster for the library association, to alert her that someone did get a hold of member’s information. Hampel was not told that a pro-ISIS group was behind the hack and was not informed until she was contacted by the media.
According to Newsweek, the "FBI does not believe the threat from ISIS’s cyber-hacks and lone-wolf directives is serious enough to occupy its resources on each individual."
Many of those named on the list are also not so concerned.
One library director said he was more relieved that his financial information was not released and that he and his colleagues were "by and large not too concerned." The director found the hack "vaguely amusing."
Hampel said she is wondering why the extremist group has targeted the association.
"Arkansas librarians are innocent and quiet and we stick to ourselves and do what we have to do for our communities," Hampel said.