Update: The Extra Life website is back online. After suffering a DDoS attack this morning, the Extra Life website is online and functioning again. It might not be back up for everyone, but it should be soon. The following message was sent to Extra Life registrants who were alerted of the attack of the website:
The Extra Life website is back up and running. It may take some time to be available for everyone but please hang with us. The surge in support we saw over social media from everyone has been amazing. It was a great reminder of how strong this community is and how we can rally together For The Kids.
Original story:
The Extra Life website has been down most of the morning, and the organizers have learned that the downtime is a result of a a DDoS attack on the site.
Extra Life is a fundraising effort that donates money to the Children's Miracle Network through assorted video game marathons. We're actually holding our own 25 hour video game marathon for Extra Life today, which you can watch here.
This message appeared on Extra Life's official Facebook page, and was also e-mailed to Extra Life registrants. Hopefully things will be cleared up soon, but the site's errors won't keep the assorted marathons (including our own) from continuing.
Dear friends,
We’ve discovered that the Extra Life website experienced a DDoS attack agianst our datacenter. I am not sure what kind of person would DDoS a charitable initiative.
I am so sorry that you are going through this frustration today. Our entire team is purely heartbroken that someone would do this. But it has happened.
As frustrating as this is for everyone involved, it pales in comparison to what the kids we’re trying to save go through. That reality, for me personally, is about the only thing keeping me somewhat calm right now.
I am very angry and very sorry. You deserve better than this. The kids deserve better than this. Extra Life has given a lot of us some of the happiest moments in our lives.
This is not one of those moments.
Please hang with us through this.
It is important that we spread the word. Please get on every form of social media you can and tell your friends what happened. We can overcome this together.
Be ready to make up for lost time and share the news when we go live!
Our Take
Sarcastic Gamer, who runs the Extra Life charity efforts, is understandably infuriated. Hacking a charity website is a pretty despicable offense. I don't understand what purpose it serves, or what is being proven, and it only hurts children in need of medical care. I hope all of this gets cleared up soon.