ClarksvilleNow.com Reporting
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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A local youth organization has been forced to deactivate its website after being attacked by a hacker Friday.
Executive Director of LEAP (Leadership, Enlightenment, Academic Achievement, and Perseverance) Richard Garrett said a hacker defaced the website, which is currently down as malware is removed.
This couldn’t come at a worse time for the organization, which is currently in a online building fund campaign.
The morning of the cyber attack, LEAP published an update on various social media outlets saying Dave Davidson, the owner of the building, reduced the sales price and Fort Campbell Federal Credit Union provided favorable financing terms that reduced the down payment from $633,277 to $360,000. The organization has already raised $38,743 reducing the down payment to $321,257.
After posting the update, LEAP received its largest donation for the building fund campaign through their GofundMe account. A few hours later, Rossview High School Art Academy students chipped in by delivering custom artwork to help market the organization.
Later that evening, as Garrett was preparing to update the website with the artwork, he noticed it had been hacked and defaced.
“Initially I was frustrated, especially when I looked up the hacker on Facebook and saw them bragging on their wall about all the different websites they hacked,” he said. “Then as I paid more attention to his tagline ‘Cyb3r Sw0rd – We Are Unbeatable’ I realized this was just an attack of the enemy meant to discourage us from what God called us to do. They may have struck first with their cyber sword and won a battle, but LEAP stands on the Sword of the Spirit of God and no weapon formed against us will prosper.”
LEAP’s hosting company says the website should be restored and accessible within a week. The organization has purchased additional security to reduce the likelihood of another cyber attack.
LEAP’s mission is to instill positive moral growth and sustainable life skills development in youth. Those wishing to contribute to the building fund campaign can still do so through http://www.gofundme.com/LEAP-Plaza
