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CIA Deaths Expose Fragile U.S.-Mexico Security Ties

Around two o’clock in the morning of April 19, an SUV veered off a twisting dirt road in a remote corner of the Sierra Madre, plunged into a ravine [...] More

Silhouette of towers against a vibrant orange sunset sky.

From Chernobyl to Ukraine: The Enduring Cost of Kremlin Lies

In April 1986, a reactor exploded at Chernobyl and the Soviet Union lied about it. That instinct to conceal, distort, and deny did not just worsen [...] More

Armed supporters of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stand guard

The Dangerous Trade of State Secrets

At just after 2 a.m. on January 3, explosions echoed across Caracas. Low-flying aircraft struck military installations. Venezuelan President Nicolás [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT: A report released Monday by DHS's inspector general found that 76 percent of apps on smartphones issued to intelligence office staff were either banned, posed security risks, or allowed prohibited activities, including online gaming, private web browsing, and apps "associated with foreign adversaries." And the problem could be worse. The department was tracking records for only 11 percent of the devices it had issued. Additionally, NOTUS notes that apps developed by the DHS Office of Intelligence Analysis “were widely shared on public app stores with first responders and downloaded 375,000 times” [...] More

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What does “success” look like in a conflict with Iran - and what comes next? In this in-depth conversation, General David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief’s Suzanne Kelly to unpack the military and strategic realities shaping today’s most consequential conflicts. From the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the unresolved risks around Iran’s nuclear program, Petraeus explains what’s at stake not just for the U.S., but for the global economy. But the real story? Ukraine. Petraeus calls it the true test case for the future of war - where drones, autonomy, and rapid innovation are redefining the battlefield in real time.