Cipher Brief Stories

What the Experts Say About the National Cyber Strategy

September 24, 2018 |

The U.S. Administration released its new National Cyber Strategy on Thursday, covering a broad number of security-related issues that fall into four main categories, it refers to as ‘pillars’. The ...

Cipher Expert Quick Take

A Snapshot Look at Cyber Threats

September 24, 2018 | Nicholas J. Rasmussen

The Cipher Brief is taking a look at different expert perspectives on cyber threats this week. As one of those perspectives, we spoke with Nick Rasmussen, the former Director of the ...

Opinion

Zimbabwe: A Double-Standard Undermining U.S. Interests

September 21, 2018 | John Siko

OPINION -- I want to talk about an African election. It was 2009 in Botswana and the ruling party, in power since independence, was not shy about using the power of ...

Dead Drop: September 21

September 21, 2018 | Anonymous

THE SPY MISTRESS WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD: Even by past CIA Director standards, Gina Haspel has been maintaining a very low profile. But the cloak of secrecy will be lifted ...

The Pentagon's Cyber Strategy: What's New and What it Means

September 20, 2018 | Kate Charlet

On Wednesday, the Department of Defense (DoD) quietly released an unclassified summary and fact sheet on its 2018 Cyber Strategy, which replaces the 2015 DoD Cyber Strategy. Here are ten ...

Opinion

Iran gambles, Moscow Pays in Syria

September 20, 2018 | Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin & Ari Heistein

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin served as chief of Israeli military intelligence from 2006-2010. He is now director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Ari Heistein is special ...

Fine Print

U.S. Increases Investment in Hypersonic Weapons

September 20, 2018 | Walter Pincus

Congress has decided to accelerate the Trump administration’s movement into the age of hypersonic weapons. These weapons are designed to travel at Mach 6 or more, which means they fly ...

Hurricane Florence's Big Test of Support

September 19, 2018 | Todd Rosenblum

The deluge known as Hurricane Florence has once again challenged the nation’s readiness to respond effectively to large-scale natural disasters in the homeland. Effective responses save lives and enhance national ...

Putin's Bold Attempt to Deny Skripal Attack

September 19, 2018 | Mark Kelton

“The concept of plausible denial had an undeniable flavor of wishful thinking about it”, wrote CIA veteran William Hood in his book on Soviet military intelligence (GRU)[1] officer and CIA ...

What CISOs Want

September 18, 2018 | Robert D. Rodriguez

CEOs, CISOs’ CTO’s and other c-suites are meeting at SINET’s Global Cybersecurity Innovation Summit in London this week. Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly, who is moderating a session ...

Ruminations on the Most Devastating Cyber Attack in History

September 17, 2018 | Mark Weatherford

A recent article titled, The Untold Story of NotPetya, The Most Devastating Cyberattack in History came out a few weeks ago and I’ve been ruminating on it ever since. It bothered me ...

War Crimes in Yemen

September 17, 2018 | Paul Pillar

The war in Yemen has been for some time one of the worst current man-made humanitarian disasters. Now, comes a report, from the United Nations Human Rights Council and based on ...

Cipher Brief Expert View

What the Skripal Attack Exposed About Russian Tradecraft

September 13, 2018 | Nick Fishwick

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that two Russian nationals accused of poisoning British citizens in an attempted assassination of a former military intelligence officer, are just ordinary citizens themselves and ...

A Call from the Top to Rethink Homeland Security

September 12, 2018 | Todd Rosenblum

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen delivered strategic remarks last week at The George Washington University. Her remarks, titled “Rethinking Homeland Security in an Age of Disruption,” offered candor ...

North Korea Brief II: Critical Allied Relationships

September 12, 2018 | Joseph DeTrani

In part two of The Cipher Brief's Expert Briefing on North Korea, Ambassador Joseph DeTrani focuses on the critical relationships with allies and partners and how sometimes competing agendas need ...

Cipher Brief Expert View

A Strategy and Legacy Inspired by 9/11

September 11, 2018 | Daniel Hoffman

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, the late Senator John McCain argued in favor of maintaining a military presence in Iraq, which he called “a very volatile part of the world ...

North Korea Brief I: Path to Progress on Negotiations

September 10, 2018 | Joseph DeTrani

Experts cited the lack of intercontinental ballistic missiles in North Korea’s 70th anniversary parade celebrations over the weekend as a sign that the nuclear nation remains committed to denuclearization talks ...

Where Al Qaeda and Affiliates Stand Today: A Conversation with David Shedd

September 04, 2018 | David Shedd

While not in the headlines every day, al Qaeda operatives are still the targets of somewhat regular military operations in places like Yemen. The U.S. carried out a series of ...

Remembering and Honoring Senator John McCain

August 31, 2018 | Cipher Brief Experts

There have been many touching tributes to Senator John McCain this week as his family, his state and his country, prepare for final goodbyes. Many of The Cipher Brief’s experts ...

The Global Threat Posed by Al-Qaeda

August 29, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

A United Nations report delivered to the Security Council last month offered a stark reminder that al Qaeda remains a serious threat around the world. The report suggested that the ...

ISIS Looking to Rebound in the Philippines—And Spread

August 27, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

Indonesia was hit by a series of deadly bombings this past May. The attacks targeted churches and were carried out by families with young children, including a family of six ...

Cyber Forecast Cloudy with a Chance of Persistent Authoritarianism

August 22, 2018 | James Van de Velde

The world’s malicious cyber actors -- Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea – have spoiled cyber’s original, idealistic vision and instead use cyberspace to advance competitive interests to undermine Western ...

Members-Only Briefs & Analysis

What the Experts Say About the National Cyber Strategy

September 24, 2018 |

Dead Drop: September 21

September 21, 2018 | Anonymous

THE SPY MISTRESS WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD: Even by past CIA Director standards, Gina Haspel has been maintaining a very low profile. But the cloak of secrecy will be lifted ...

The Pentagon's Cyber Strategy: What's New and What it Means

September 20, 2018 | Kate Charlet

On Wednesday, the Department of Defense (DoD) quietly released an unclassified summary and fact sheet on its 2018 Cyber Strategy, which replaces the 2015 DoD Cyber Strategy. Here are ten ...

Putin's Bold Attempt to Deny Skripal Attack

September 19, 2018 | Mark Kelton

“The concept of plausible denial had an undeniable flavor of wishful thinking about it”, wrote CIA veteran William Hood in his book on Soviet military intelligence (GRU)[1] officer and CIA ...

War Crimes in Yemen

September 17, 2018 | Paul Pillar

The war in Yemen has been for some time one of the worst current man-made humanitarian disasters. Now, comes a report, from the United Nations Human Rights Council and based on ...

North Korea Brief II: Critical Allied Relationships

September 12, 2018 | Joseph DeTrani

In part two of The Cipher Brief's Expert Briefing on North Korea, Ambassador Joseph DeTrani focuses on the critical relationships with allies and partners and how sometimes competing agendas need ...

North Korea Brief I: Path to Progress on Negotiations

September 10, 2018 | Joseph DeTrani

Where Al Qaeda and Affiliates Stand Today: A Conversation with David Shedd

September 04, 2018 | David Shedd

While not in the headlines every day, al Qaeda operatives are still the targets of somewhat regular military operations in places like Yemen. The U.S. carried out a series of ...

Remembering and Honoring Senator John McCain

August 31, 2018 | Cipher Brief Experts

There have been many touching tributes to Senator John McCain this week as his family, his state and his country, prepare for final goodbyes. Many of The Cipher Brief’s experts ...

The Global Threat Posed by Al-Qaeda

August 29, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

A United Nations report delivered to the Security Council last month offered a stark reminder that al Qaeda remains a serious threat around the world. The report suggested that the ...

ISIS Looking to Rebound in the Philippines—And Spread

August 27, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

Indonesia was hit by a series of deadly bombings this past May. The attacks targeted churches and were carried out by families with young children, including a family of six ...

Cyber Forecast Cloudy with a Chance of Persistent Authoritarianism

August 22, 2018 | James Van de Velde

Latest

Cipher Expert Quick Take

A Snapshot Look at Cyber Threats

September 24, 2018 | Nicholas J. Rasmussen

The Cipher Brief is taking a look at different expert perspectives on cyber threats this week. As one of those perspectives, we spoke with Nick Rasmussen, the former Director of the ...

Opinion

Zimbabwe: A Double-Standard Undermining U.S. Interests

September 21, 2018 | John Siko

OPINION -- I want to talk about an African election. It was 2009 in Botswana and the ruling party, in power since independence, was not shy about using the power of ...

Opinion

Iran gambles, Moscow Pays in Syria

September 20, 2018 | Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin & Ari Heistein

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin served as chief of Israeli military intelligence from 2006-2010. He is now director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). Ari Heistein is special ...

Fine Print

U.S. Increases Investment in Hypersonic Weapons

September 20, 2018 | Walter Pincus

Congress has decided to accelerate the Trump administration’s movement into the age of hypersonic weapons. These weapons are designed to travel at Mach 6 or more, which means they fly ...

Hurricane Florence's Big Test of Support

September 19, 2018 | Todd Rosenblum

What CISOs Want

September 18, 2018 | Robert D. Rodriguez

Ruminations on the Most Devastating Cyber Attack in History

September 17, 2018 | Mark Weatherford

A recent article titled, The Untold Story of NotPetya, The Most Devastating Cyberattack in History came out a few weeks ago and I’ve been ruminating on it ever since. It bothered me ...

Cipher Brief Expert View

What the Skripal Attack Exposed About Russian Tradecraft

September 13, 2018 | Nick Fishwick

A Call from the Top to Rethink Homeland Security

September 12, 2018 | Todd Rosenblum

Cipher Brief Expert View

A Strategy and Legacy Inspired by 9/11

September 11, 2018 | Daniel Hoffman

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, the late Senator John McCain argued in favor of maintaining a military presence in Iraq, which he called “a very volatile part of the world ...