Massive DDoS Attack Targets Florida Trident and Watchdog Partner

The Florida Center for Government Accountability and its investigative publication, the Florida Trident, based in Sarasota, Florida, experienced a “massive and sophisticated” cyberattack on Sunday, July 13, 2025, disrupting access to their websites. According to CEO and publisher Barbara A. Petersen, the denial-of-service attack targeted flcga.org and floridatrident.org with over 350,000 attempted connections per minute. The center’s web contractor and security personnel quickly implemented defensive measures that limited the disruption. Petersen said the scale of the attack suggested it was both well-resourced and deliberately aimed at silencing their journalism.

While the attackers remain unidentified, Petersen believes the motive is tied to the Trident’s recent reporting on political corruption and government misconduct, including investigations involving Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno and other Florida officials. Despite the attempted shutdown, the organization emphasized its continued commitment to watchdog journalism. “We will not be cowed and we will not be silenced,” Petersen said to WGCU, underscoring the outlet’s resolve in the face of escalating cyber threats against press freedom.

The full cost of the attack is still being assessed, but the outlet reported that two web technicians worked for eight hours on a Sunday to counter the incident. Although the websites remained largely functional, the attack highlighted the resource strain such cyber incidents place on small, nonprofit newsrooms already operating with limited staff and funding.