EDIT 30MAY24 – ARRL has an update of sorts at:
https://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-systems-service-disruption
The Status Monitor for LoTW remains a Hard Down of all services.
The last update from the ARRL was about a week ago, and it offered scant information.
You can follow the down at: https://status.lotw.arrl.org/
The prolonged and left-mysterious outage has been noticed by the non-amateur radio computer security community. Examples:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/arrl-cyberattack-takes-logbook-of-the-world-offline/
https://www.securityweek.com/american-radio-relay-league-hit-by-cyberattack/
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A question widely posed in the ham radio community is “If LoTW remains punked and unavailable, does it really matter?”
“Not so much” is my take.
The ham radio community has other online software systems that could pick up the load.
The ARRL has said the LoTW “data” is secure, though if there is a cutoff date other than when the systems went down we haven’t been told.
That secured data will be an awesome start to repopulated a successor system, if it comes to that.
And if the data ends up in limbo unused, I don’t think it is a bother to my operations.
Pretty certain LoTW availability is a non-factor in how I operate – enough of a non-factor that I didn’t notice that it went down for perhaps a week.
If the whole ARRL is down long term, that would be something I’d not be happy about.
While I have differences with the ARRL on specifics, we are well aligned on the major themes in our hobby – helping hams experience the fullness of amateur radio. Doesn’t get much more simple than that, and certain hard to disagree with.
73
Steve
K9ZW
With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings 
If LoTW were to end on a permanent basis, that would be the end of my chase for any DX awards. There are plenty of other logging programs and services, but I doubt any of them would be acceptable for ARRL awards and I don’t have the time or the inclination to chase paper cards via mail and the bureaus again. I wouldn’t quit the hobby of course, I’d just move on from chasing DX – and maybe that’s not such a bad thing?
I’m sure I’d still enjoy making random contacts with faraway stations, but I certainly wouldn’t sit in a pile-up for a DX contact as step one in a laborious process of confirming that contact.
I’m pretty sure they will recover it. Perhaps it’s a ransomware attack, after all, after these many weeks they could have ordered all new servers and installed all the software so there is surely something else up other than a “hack” or even a serious equipment failure.
I suppose we will find out before long. Or maybe not?
Jeff, KE9V
In addition to LoTW, many/all systems hosted by the ARRL are impacted. Systems hosted by 3rd parties such as much of http://www.arrl.org seem to be ok.
It is also unclear what data, if any, has been compromised.
The only issue I see is IF a HAM logs ONLY to LoTW. I log to QRZ & LoTW since GridTracker makes it so easy to do so. I find the QRZ awards all I need to quench my vanity.
I question ARRL-HQ’s perception that ‘secrecy’ is serving their customers and HAMdom in general – how arrogant. The hackers timing could not have been better to gut punch the ARRL-HQ.
Jokingly, I still wonder if ARRL rented space on the MFJ Serves, as the timing could not have been better.
What’s my beef with ARRL, nothing, but with the ARRL-HQ Exec’s many many self-serving issues. Top of my list is when HQ removed QST from the news-stands forcing readers into becoming members. As the news stands always sold out their QST’s.
On or around May 12, 2024, ARRL was the victim of a sophisticated network attack by a malicious international cyber group. ARRL immediately involved the FBI and engaged with third party experts to investigate.
This serious incident was extensive and categorized by the FBI as “unique,” compromising network devices, servers, cloud-based systems, and PCs.
ARRL management quickly established an incident response team. This has led to an extensive effort to contain and remediate the networks, restore servers, and staff are beginning the testing of applications and interfaces to ensure proper operation.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as our staff continue to work through this with an outstanding team of experts to restore full functionality to our systems and services.
We will continue to update members as advised and to the extent we are able.
If Lotw doesnt come back, thats ok with me. It only makes it easier to confirm my DX contacts. I spent many years sending qsl cards and recieving them back in the mail. I can just go back to that system if I want to confirm DX. Just my personal opinion. 73 Dave W6NUC
I used LOTW a lot and do hope it comes back, They are being very secretive about what and when and the future plans of LOTW service. The ARRL as far as I’m concerned has failed Me. I had a 5 yr subscription to QST and still had over a 1.5 years to go when the decided to go paperless and quit sending out the hard copy to me, that to Me was a breach of contract. I enjoyed reading QST as I spend too much time at the computer now. I will not renew again.
N0BQV
As a non-US operator with an interest in hunting US counties, the loss of LOTW is very frustrating. I use QRZ as my online log but rely on LOTW for a large percentage of confirmations as it seems it is the preferred method of a large number of US stations. Without it I have seen a fairly substantial reduction in the number of confirmations and it is extremely frustrating to the point of making me wonder if its worth continuing.
The slightly awkward part is that, as a G station, I get free access to LOTW so am I entitled to moan about it? Well, yes I think I am as the service was offered to me and I have built a reliance on it but only because of the number of US stations that use it exclusively.
I would add that I would be more than happy to pay for it if required to do so.
In the mean time maybe more US stations could upload to QRZ,com?
Your thoughts to not put “all of one’s eggs in one basket” makes sense, and hoping people will use some of the other online services even if they acticipate focusing on LoTW again once it is up.
73
Steve
K9ZW
It took me a while to migrate all my log over to LOTW. I’ve been waiting for it to come back so i can log the past 2 months QSO’s. Is someone working on this? I don’t understand the problem in fixing it.
73’s
WA4HTG