Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

cipherbrief

Welcome! Log in to stay connected and make the most of your experience.

Input clean

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

The Caribbean Emerges as a Test of U.S. Power

The Caribbean Emerges as a Test of U.S. Power

DEEP DIVE — U.S. military forces this week carried out yet another strike on a vessel in Caribbean waters off Venezuela, marking the sixth such [...] More

AmericasLatin America
Open Source Report logo

The Open Source Report

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet during a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025.

Report for Global Intelligence Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Trump says Ukraine summit with Russian leader would be a ‘waste of time.’

Europe’s spies are learning to trust each other — thanks to Trump

China Agrees to Crisis Talks in Brussels as Rare Earth and Nexperia Sagas Boil Over

North Korea fires ballistic missiles just a week before leaders gather in South Korea


Access Today’s Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

AI-Powered Adversaries Require AI-Driven Defenses

John Hultquist

OPINION — The use of artificial intelligence by adversaries has been the subject of exhaustive speculation. No one doubts that the technology will be abused by criminals and state actors, but it can be difficult to [...] More

Tech/Cyber

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Quiet Drug War Wins Amid Trump’s Caribbean Strikes

Walter Pincus

OPINION / FINE PRINT — “The U.S. Coast Guard announced [last] Tuesday it has seized more than 100,000 pounds of cocaine in the eastern Pacific Ocean since launching Operation Pacific Viper in early August, averaging over [...] More

AmericasLatin AmericaWalter PincusFine Print
View More ›

News & Analysis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is greeted by US President Donald Trump (L) upon arrival at the White House West Wing in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025.

High-Stakes Talks in D.C.: Frozen Assets, Air Defense, and Tomahawks

DEEP DIVE – A senior Ukrainian delegation will travel to Washington D.C. this week for talks that are expected to include the use of frozen Russian [...] More

Brad ChristianEuropeUkraine

Opinion

The Hidden National Security Risk in Smart Cities

Anna Gielas

The Hidden National Security Risk in Smart Cities

OPINION — It is worryingly easy to get hold of personal and sensitive data on American military and intelligence personnel. Earlier this year [...] More

Tech/CyberAlternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

The Open Source Report

Book Reviews

Atomic Fears
Atomic Fears

High On Hype – A Tabloid Take On Delta Force and Drugs
High On Hype – A Tabloid Take On Delta Force and Drugs

A Call at 4AM in Israel: Crucial Decisions, Urgent Reading
A Call at 4AM in Israel: Crucial Decisions, Urgent Reading

dead dropdead drop

The Best National Security Gossip

HEADS UP DEAD DROP AFICIONADOS: The pace of Dead Drops early this week may be a bit lighter than usual since everyone who is anyone is fully consumed with the annual Cipher Brief Threat Conference. If you are saying to yourself – wait a minute! I’m someone and I’m not there – well, there’s always next year.The Dead Drop is now updating throughout the week. Why? Because there's just too much good gossip in the national security world these days for a once-a-week collection.GOT SOME GOOD GOSSIP? DROP US A NOTE AT thedeaddrop@thecipherbrief.com NEED TO CATCH UP ON LAST WEEK'S DROP? FIND IT HERE. [...] More

Get The Drop

Events

Live Events

Threat Conference

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: 19 October, 2025

Podcasts

State Secrets

Shawn Chenoweth has one of the most fascinating titles in government, Director of Cognitive Advantage at the National Security Council. Sean explains the concept of cognitive advantage, the challenges of measuring success, and talks about the 'Kill Web' concept, which highlights the interconnectedness of information and cognitive processes in modern warfare.

Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment


David McCloskey, former CIA Analyst turned novelist is out with his fourth book, The Persian, about an Iranian dentist who is recruited by Mossad to take on a dangerous mission inside Iran. Cover Stories Host Suzanne Kelly digs in on how McCloskey’s real-life Intelligence background fueled his latest novel, and discovers a few of McCloskey’s own secrets along the way.