Colonial Presbyterian Church Listed by pear Ransomware Group: Ransomware Claim — What’s Alleged & What To Do

Breaking down the breach

The incident was reported on April 10, 2026. Colonial Presbyterian Church was listed by the pear ransomware group, which claims to have exfiltrated internal files during a ransomware attack. No figure has been released for the number of people affected, and no additional details on the timing, method of intrusion, or volume of data have been made public.

The group behind it: pear

Pear is a ransomware operator that publicly lists victim organizations on its leak site after claiming to have stolen data. Such groups typically encrypt systems to disrupt operations and then threaten to publish exfiltrated material unless a ransom is paid. The listing of Colonial Presbyterian Church constitutes the group’s claim; independent confirmation of the data’s release or the accuracy of the claim has not been reported.

Colonial Presbyterian Church and its sector

Colonial Presbyterian Church maintains two campuses in Overland Park and South Kansas City. Religious organizations routinely store records that include member contact details, donation histories, pastoral correspondence, and administrative documents. A breach at an institution of this type can expose information that individuals have shared in confidence with their place of worship.

The information in question

The only data type identified in public reporting is “internal files exfiltrated in ransomware attack.” No inventory of specific file categories, such as financial records or personal identifiers, has been released. The exact contents therefore remain unconfirmed beyond the general description of internal files.

What's at stake

Exposed internal files could contain information that enables targeted fraud, unwanted contact, or reputational harm if released. For the organization, the incident may lead to operational disruption and costs associated with investigation and recovery. Because the scale and sensitivity of the files are unknown, the full extent of consequences cannot yet be assessed.

• Monitor accounts for unusual activity if personal details were stored in the affected files.
• Review any notifications issued by the church for further guidance.
• Consider credit monitoring or fraud alerts where financial information may be involved.

If your data was in this claimed breach

Begin by changing passwords for any accounts linked to the church and enabling multi-factor authentication. Contact the organization directly for any updates it may provide to members. Individuals can also run a free exposure scan of their email address against known breach data to check for prior appearances of their information.

AICompiled with AI assistance from public sources and published under our editorial standards.