A defacement is one of the most chaotic disasters a leader can face, often resulting in a server wipe, admin loss, or total collapse. While rare, these situations test how prepared, composed, and adaptable an army’s leadership truly is. In this edition of Lead The Way, we explore how a leader should respond to defacement, what to avoid, and how the community would handle the crisis themselves.
Designed by MasterDS
WHEN DEFACEMENT STRIKES
A leader’s first priority in a defacement scenario is to regain control. Whether through removing rogue admins, contacting Discord support, or using backup options, fast action is key. Communicating with HCOM and troops clearly, calmly, and quickly helps prevent panic and misinformation from spreading.
After the turbulence is brought under control, the leader must transition to damage control—every channel should be reopened, security measures should be in place, and information publicly shared about the event. People trust transparency, and defensive or ambiguous replies only create further speculation. Above all, a leader should show confidence, reassure the army that the reputation is being restored, and that steps are being taken to recover.
Mistakes made during a defacement can make an already chaotic situation worse. Leaders must be careful to avoid actions such as disappearing without explanation, publicly blaming organizations or individuals without solid evidence, or shutting down operations in a huff. Emotional reactions, while understandable, rarely help—and especially not when strong leadership is most needed.
Dismissing troop concerns or pretending nothing happened can be just as corrosive as the defacement itself. In moments of crisis, silence is not the same as courageous action—it is an action of capitulation.
PREVENTION IS LEADERSHIP TOO
The best way to survive a defacement is to prevent one altogether. Leaders should regularly audit admin roles, secure accounts with two-factor authentication, and keep server backups or templates ready. Only trusted individuals should have access to bots or website tools, and permission logs should be reviewed often.
No system is perfect, but consistent caution is a leader’s best defense. After all, protecting your army starts long before disaster strikes.
Club Penguin Armies reached out to a few members of the community for an exclusive interview on how they would respond if they were leading an army during a defacement.
What’s your first move after a defacement?
Zenishira: I would do the immediate job of containing and controlling the breach: taking down the defaced pages or servers so the compromise cannot spread any more harm. At the same time, I’d roll back to a recent clean version of the website so that the compromised content and arrangements can return to a recoverable state. While the technical activity happens, I would inform HCOM and the CPA Administration, so that they are all aware of our thorough communications. Finally, I would initiate an internal post: “Here’s what happened, here’s what we are doing right now, and here’s when you can expect full service to return.”
Fwapo: I would personally pursue justice and fairness, aiming to find a solution that brings these values to everyone affected by such actions. There are many people who still hope to continue their journey, and I would work to create a path that allows them to do so.
Elsa/Fulcrum: My first move after a defacement would be to try and get the server fixed.
YellowTyper: We go on hiatus for a bit to recover
Berlim: After a defacement, I would organise with my trusted staff + hcom team to re-organize the server. I would give functions to which one of them, such as adding roles back, adding channels back etc.. after everything it’s done, I’d invite people back, and unban all the people that were banned and did not do anything wrong. I would also ban the defacers, before going back to the community.
How would you keep your troops motivated during a crisis?
Zenishira: Transparency is essential. I would convene a quick meeting, or even an announcement, to face the audience’s frustration and embarrassment of being defaced, and then pivot to a rallying statement. I would also focus on all the wins and positive developments occurring elsewhere in the army to avoid demoralization. I would delegate small, tangible things for volunteers to do, such as proofreading the restored pages or just asking to post an update on social media, to help them feel they have agency or purpose. Finally, I would recognize those individuals who went above and beyond on the recovery efforts with a shoutout or a small token. (e.g. a Discord role or something like that)
Fwapo: Those who wish to continue have already shown their determination, so my focus wouldn’t be on keeping them motivated. Instead, I’d bring everyone together to find a solution that prioritizes their future before my own, while also ensuring that the same mistakes aren’t repeated.
Elsa/Fulcrum: I would try and keep my troops motivated and make sure they don’t join other armies.
YellowTyper: Remind troops why they’re here, try to keep chat active and keep the inflow of troops steady
Berlim: I would try to be way more active in chats and dms, making them have fun and not losing motivation. If they left, I would try to get new people to the army.
What should leaders avoid doing after a defacement?
Zenishira: Don’t panic or bury bad news, don’t publicly point fingers or assign blame, don’t try to rebuild on an already compromised system that has no backups, and most importantly, don’t distract yourself from your main mission.
Fwapo: I will provide one statement “Don’t be stupied” and yes that is from my experience🙏
Elsa/Fulcrum: Leaders should avoid another defacement by fixing the server to make it properly be active once again.
YellowTyper: Make it seem as though it’s the end of the army’s life
Berlim: After a defacement, I think they should avoid forfeit, and not being way to fast: the server and the people need to rest after something like a defacement, going on its own rhythm.
How would you prevent defacements in the future?
Zenishira: I’d tighten access to a small group of people. I would make the use of 2FA mandatory, make regular site backups, audits, and a record of the most recent defacement (or a playbook). This way, we would be prepared for another breach, if it happens.
Fwapo: I believe handling every problem with a positive mindset is key to preventing bigger issues. People want to stay in positive spaces more than ever, and approaching challenges this way is truly the best method. Aisha, the head mod, is a great example of this. (Just to be clear, I wasn’t forced to write this.)
Elsa/Fulcrum: I would prevent defacements by making sure the people that defaced the army suffer major consequences and stay banned.
YellowTyper: Change the perms of roles and keep admin roles/roles with high perms away from untrustworthy people
Berlim: I would avoid by: fixing the perms, and making tests for the new leaders/Hcom. They would also need to take a test of what the should do after a defacement.
Defacement is often one of the hardest situations to deal with as an army leader, but it is how you respond that can be a game changer. Staying calm, communicating, being proactive and supportive, and modeling good risk management can help leaders manage their troops through a storm and allow leaders to move beyond the storm stronger – not just as individuals, but as a team. Examples of leadership in the community have shown that solid leaders with transparency, help restore trust and are the foundation of resiliency moving forward. If everything was on the line, how would you lead?
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