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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

The Coming Age of Robotic Warfare

The opportunity – and danger – of AI-powered robotic armies

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A battalion of armed robots moves against a unit of soldiers, aiming to seize territory. In the ensuing battle, the robots open fire, communicate [...] More

Tech/Cyber

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

Beijing Holds the Keys to the Drone Wars

Joey Gagnard

Welcome to The Iron Triangle, the Cipher Brief column serving Procurement Officers tasked with buying the future, Investors funding the next generation of defense technology, and the Policy Wonks analyzing its impact on [...] More

Joey Gagnard
Opinion

Iran Is Poking The Bear

Mark Fowler

Tehran has been playing a dangerous game of chicken with the U.S. administration for months. With the just concluded midterms now in hand, they risk making a dangerous miscalculation just when it matters most. This is [...] More

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News & Analysis

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How Far Should the U.S. Go to Defend Saudi Arabia?

Recent deadly attacks by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthis inside of Saudi Arabia have raised questions about just how far the U.S. should go in helping [...] More

Middle East Expert View

Opinion

Startups Are Now on the Front Lines

Andrew Badger

Startups Are Now on the Front Lines

A recent Air Force contract to help screen small businesses applying for federal research funding reflects a growing national security concern: [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

When Good Intelligence Met Bad Assumptions
When Good Intelligence Met Bad Assumptions

Stavridis Sails Into Wouk Territory
Stavridis Sails Into Wouk Territory

Aristotle’s Answer: Rethinking The Thucydides Trap
Aristotle’s Answer: Rethinking The Thucydides Trap

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The Best National Security Gossip

LICENSE TO TINKER – UPDATE: In August, we reported that Germany’s cabinet had approved a bill to give the country’s spies permission to, well, spy. The Guardian noted at the time that it still needed parliament’s blessing. It has that blessing now. And according to AFP, the Bundestag voted on Friday to let the BND (the country’s foreign intelligence service) run covert operations abroad. Those include sabotage and cyberattacks against adversaries. The domestic security service, the BfV, gets more powers too, though its role at home stays narrower. Officials have floated some creative uses for the BND. The Record reports [...] More

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Events

Live Events

2026 Threat Conference

2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Previous Event: 25 October, 2026

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of April 9, 2027. This Black-Tie event is invite-only. Please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 09 April, 2027

Podcasts

State Secrets

Russia’s war against Ukraine is being fought on the battlefield, but another confrontation is unfolding across Europe. From drone incursions and sabotage operations to cyberattacks and threats against critical infrastructure, Moscow’s expanding gray zone campaign is raising urgent questions about NATO’s ability to respond.

In this episode of State Secrets, host Suzanne Kelly is joined by Dr. Jacek Siewiera, former head of Poland’s National Security Bureau and former senior national security advisor to the Polish president, and Dave Pitts, former senior CIA executive and co-founder of The Cipher Brief’s Gray Zone Group.

Together, they examine how Russia is using hybrid warfare to test NATO’s defenses, spread fear and uncertainty, and undermine European support for Ukraine. They also explore the growing risks posed by drone technology, the potential use of chemical and radiological weapons, and why traditional deterrence strategies may no longer be enough.

As Russia’s shadow war expands beyond Ukraine, what will it take for Europe and the United States to effectively deter Moscow before these threats escalate further?