Cyber Incident Victim: Liberty Counsel
Date:
Jul 2022
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Pro-choice hacktivists leaked over 74 gigabytes of data from evangelical organizations, including donor information and internal documents, targeting groups that supported the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The attackers breached WMTEK, a Florida-based technology firm providing donor management services to Liberty Counsel and other clients, exposing databases to promote "radical transparency" regarding alleged hidden funding sources tied to anti-abortion efforts. The leaked data, shared via Enlace Hacktivista under Anonymous-associated hashtags like #OperationJane, aimed to counter perceived alliances between evangelical movements and anti-abortion activists. While Liberty Counsel denied prior allegations of improper influence over Supreme Court justices, WMTEK acknowledged investigating the security incident. The hack reflects broader digital activism trends following abortion restrictions, with similar groups like SiegedSec previously claiming attacks on government systems in states with anti-abortion laws.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On or around July 6, 2022, pro-choice hacktivists breached systems associated with evangelical organizations and leaked over 74 gigabytes of data. The attackers specifically targeted Liberty Counsel, a conservative religious organization that supported the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. In a message posted alongside the leaked data on Enlace Hacktivista—a platform hosting hacker communications—the group accused Liberty Counsel and similar entities of obscuring donor funding through legal protections granted to religious ministries. The message emphasized a goal of "radical transparency," explicitly stating their intent to expose donor lists they claimed were being hidden from public scrutiny. The attackers used hashtags referencing "OperationJane," an initiative launched under the Anonymous banner in 2021 to oppose restrictive abortion laws.
The breach occurred through WMTEK, a Florida-based company providing web development, donor management, and online giving services to Liberty Counsel and other clients. Hackers accessed over 120 databases containing client information before publishing the data trove. WMTEK CEO Dan Pennell confirmed awareness of the security incident and stated an investigation was underway. Liberty Counsel denied allegations in a July 6 Rolling Stone article—cited by the hackers as motivation—which reported close ties between the group’s Faith & Liberty ministry and Supreme Court justices. The organization did not respond to requests for comment regarding the breach itself. Concurrently, another group called SiegedSec claimed attacks on pro-life entities and state government servers, though officials in Kentucky and Arkansas disputed these claims, asserting no systems were compromised. The incident highlighted immediate operational disruptions for WMTEK and reputational risks for Liberty Counsel, with no public confirmation of data recovery efforts or long-term containment measures at the time of reporting.