Hillsborough partners with Tampa nonprofit to defend against cyberattacks

The Hillsborough County Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to defend its communities against foreign threats, such as cyberattacks, with help from a Tampa-based nonprofit. 

The resolution expresses the county’s commitment to working with Alliance for Global Security, to “help ensure the safety, security, and democratic integrity of Hillsborough County in an increasingly complex global environment.”

In a separate vote, the board unanimously approved a $25,000 seed investment in the AGS Frontiers Forum, an international conference coming to Tampa in April 2026 that will address issues of homeland and national security, resilience and readiness. 

“The threats we’re facing today don’t stop at the federal level, they’re aimed squarely at counties like ours,” says Commission Chair Ken Hagan. “Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are targeting local governments’ energy grids, universities and hospitals and our community is not immune.”

Commissioners discussed incidents including the 2020 theft of cancer research from Moffit Cancer Center by employees affiliated with the Chinese government and Texas’ 2021 Colonial Pipeline hack that affected fuel supply throughout the southeastern U.S.

“These aren’t just national stories, they’re a local warning,” Hagan says. 

AGS promises to provide both education and capacity to local governments like Hillsborough to prepare leaders for hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and other destabilizing tactics used by hostile regimes, says AGS Founder Joshua Burgin.

Hillsborough’s resolution describes the emerging strategy of “everything, everywhere, all at once” attacks intended to destabilize trust in government and cripple vital infrastructure. AGS helps local leaders get access to the same security briefings, strategies and partnerships national leaders rely on.

“Our goal is to make sure that elected officials — at every level — are informed, connected and prepared to meet the threats that are already knocking at their door,” Burgin says.

Hillsborough County’s $25,000 investment in the upcoming AGS Frontiers Forum will help seed the planning and logistics required for bringing together more than 300 elected officials, defense experts and civic leaders from across North America, Europe and the Indo-Pacific. One of the largest security gatherings for local and state elected officials in the country, the forum promises two days of briefings, strategy sessions and community engagement.

And bringing the conference to Tampa will highlight how the region is uniquely positioned to serve as a global hub for security and resilience planning, Burgin says.

“With MacDill Air Force Base, world-class academic institutions like the University of South Florida, leading cybersecurity firms, and a growing innovation economy, this region is where the future of democratic defense is being shaped,” Burgin says in a statement.