[promo title=”Operation Supply Drop Becomes A Victim”][/promo]
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen hackers attack video game charity drives, and it probably won’t be the last. Earlier this week the third annual Operation Supply Drop took place, a charity drive dedicated to providing US troops with video games. After all, their motto is “making fun where there is none!” However, the idea behind Operation Supply Drop isn’t just providing video games for entertainment.
Research suggests many positive benefits for playing games, and is suggested that can help a solider’s mental well-being. Operation Supply Drop claims that soldiers who play video games have a better time handling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as the video games can be therapeutic. Research suggests that there were much fewer flashbacks involved with the soldiers when they were focusing on a “highly engaging visual-spatial task” (or Video Games). Video games also provide soldiers with a nice social environment and can help soldiers from having feelings of loneliness or isolation.
[promo title=”So Why Would Someone DDoS A Charity Event?”][/promo]
This is a very good question, but first, let’s fill in some blanks here for those of you wondering what a DDoS attack is. Essentially it just means a website has been attacked via malware or other sources, and causes the website to become inaccessible to users. Just last year, a similar charity drive called Extra-Life was hit by a DDoS attack. Extra-Life is a charity designed to provide video games to kids battling cancer. It’s certainly a mystery to most as to why someone would try to ruin a charity like that. Some DDoS attackers are simple hackers with nothing better to do with their time.
In fact, I believe that’s what most attackers are. They are simply cowards who want attention. (Then why am I writing an article about it, right?) Is it possible that the same people who attacked Extra-Life are the ones who attacked Operation Supply Drop? It’s possible, but unlikely. The Operation Supply Drop DDoS attack occurred less than 30 minutes into the start of the event. With constant battling back and forth trying to keep the website up, eventually it was just taken down. While the Operation Supply Drop website is still down, that doesn’t mean that donations aren’t being accepted. Donations can still be sent through paypal via donations@operationsupplydrop.org
By all means, feel free to show your support for this cause, and let’s show these hackers that gamers aren’t so easily beaten! Let us know your thoughts in the comments on the situation and tell us what you think about DDoS attacks.