Cyber Incident Victim: People of Praise
Date:
Sep 2020
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A religious organization experienced unauthorized access to its membership directory, compromising contact information. Security staff detected the incident and notified federal law enforcement along with affected members, though specific details regarding the scope of accessed data or potential perpetrators remained undisclosed. The breach occurred amid heightened public attention toward the group due to its association with a prominent Supreme Court nominee, which had previously drawn scrutiny over internal practices. No further information was provided about ongoing server access by hackers or the exact number of impacted individuals.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 0 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On September 23, 2020, the religious organization People of Praise detected unauthorized access to contact information within its membership directory through its website. Security staff identified the breach and initiated immediate response measures, including notifying federal law enforcement authorities and alerting the group's membership. Spokesperson Sean Connolly confirmed the incident to Catholic News Agency but disclosed no information about the perpetrators' identities or motives. The compromised data appeared limited to directory contact details, though the organization did not specify the exact number of affected members or whether hackers retained ongoing access to its systems. Members received guidance about monitoring for suspicious activity following the breach.
The incident occurred amid heightened public scrutiny of People of Praise following President Trump's September 26 nomination of member Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Founded in 1971, the approximately 1,700-member Christian group operates across 22 North American and Caribbean locations. While the breach investigation remained ongoing at the time of reporting, the organization provided no additional details regarding forensic findings, data restoration processes, or potential operational disruptions. Media coverage linked the timing to Barrett's nomination, which had drawn renewed attention to the group's practices following prior controversies during her 2017 judicial confirmation hearings. Federal law enforcement involvement was confirmed, but no public updates regarding investigative outcomes were reported in the immediate aftermath.