Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 15 July 2026

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Moody Bible Institute Data Breach: What 2.3 million Donors Must Do Right Now

More than 2.3 million donors, students, alumni, and prospective students connected to Moody Bible Institute (MBI) had their personal information exposed after the ransomware group ShinyHunters published stole data online following an unsuccessful extortion attempt. The breach stemmed from the exploitation of a critical Oracle PeopleSoft vulnerability that affected more than 300 PeopleSoft environments across over 100 organizations. The exposed information reportedly included to names, email addresses, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and other personal details, with attackers also claiming to have accessed donor, admissions, and payroll records. The FBI advises affected individuals to independently verify any unsolicited communications, as the stolen data provides criminals with enough context to create highly convincing social engineering attacks.

Analyst Comments: Potentially affected members are encouraged to check if their data was in the breach by using Have I Been Pwned before following the rest of the guidance in this article. This incident demonstrates how faith-based organizations trusted relationships can become targets when donor, volunteer, student, or member information is exposed. Organizations should stay aware for follow-on attacks, as stolen data can be used to create convincing phishing emails, fraudulent donation requests, and impersonation attempts involving compromised victims. Organizations can reinforce awareness by encouraging members and volunteers to verify unexpected requests for donations, passwords or sensitive information through trusted channels. The incident also highlights the value of timely software updates, vendor security, and creating a communication plan that helps maintain trust if a data breach occurs.

Extreme temperature warnings in place as ‘heat dome’ bakes US

Extreme heat warnings remain in effect across much of the United States as a persistent heat dome continues to drive record-breaking temperatures and dangerous conditions. A heat dome traps hot air over a region, limiting cloud cover and rainfall while creating prolonged periods of high temperatures and dry conditions. Health officials warn that extended heat exposure increases the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly when overnight temperatures remain elevated and the body has little opportunity to recover. Older adults and other vulnerable populations face a greater risk of heat-related illness and cardiovascular stress during those prolonged events.

 The extreme heat is also contributing to an active wildfire season, with 3.6 million acres burned so far this year and 45 uncontained wildfires burning across states including California, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, and Idaho. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects dangerous heat conditions to continue through next week with risks expanding into parts of the South.

Analyst Comments: For faith-based organizations, prolonged extreme heat can affect worship services, outdoor ministries, volunteer activities, and community outreach efforts while increasing health risks for congregants and staff. Facilities may experience higher cooling demands, and ministries serving vulnerable populations, including older adults and individuals without reliable air conditioning, may see increased needs. Organizations can remain aware of local heat advisories, wildfire conditions, and air quality impacts that could affect events or operations. Recognizing the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, encouraging hydration, and monitoring vulnerable attendees can help reduce health risks during periods of extreme heat.

ICYMI: FB-ISAO’s 2025 Threat Data Report | Vandalism, Violence, Arson, Active Shooters, Cyber Attacks, and More: Understanding Today’s Threats to Houses of Worship Across All Faith Communities

Houses of worship and faith‑based organizations are facing increasing levels of hostility, from vandalism and arson to active‑shooter events, bomb threats, hate‑motivated violence, and cyber-attacks on their systems and data. Join the Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization for a focused review of the much-anticipated cumulative threat data on attacks and incidents impacting churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other houses of worship during 2025.

During this session, Ed Heyman and Ross Moore will:

• Walk through key statistics from recent incidents impacting houses of worship and faith‑based organizations, including vandalism, arson, threats, and violence.
• Highlight notable hate‑motivated and extremist attacks against religious institutions and how those trends are evolving across time and different faith traditions.
• Review recent cyber incidents affecting faith‑based organizations – such as ransomware campaigns and online harassment – and discuss common entry points and vulnerabilities.
• Discuss practical implications for security planning, training, and partnership with law enforcement, emergency management, and community organizations.
• Point to free tools, templates, and grant programs that can help congregations strengthen their security posture and preparedness without overwhelming budgets or staff.

This presentation is designed for clergy, executive leaders, safety, security, and intelligence team members, board members, and anyone responsible for protecting the people, facilities, and ministries of a faith‑based organization. No advanced technical background is required; the focus is on clear, plain‑language insight into current threats and realistic steps faith communities can take to reduce risk.

The webinar will take place on 22 July 2026 at 12:00 PM ET, when we’ll unpack what the data is telling us and what leaders should be watching now. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of current trends, risk drivers, and practical steps to strengthen security, preparedness, and resilience in their own communities.

Register here  : This is a members-only event.