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

Reflect, Remember, Renew

General Paul M. Nakasone reflects on 9/11 a Quarter-Century Later

Sunrise in New York City

PERSONAL REFLECTION -- Majestic blue skies greeted me as I turned into the Pentagon’s North Parking lot on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001. As I [...] More

United States Americas North America

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

25 years after 9/11. Whatever happened to mass-effect terrorism?

Tim Willasey-Wilsey

One remaining mystery about 9/11 is why there have been no attacks of comparable scale since. But, with the combination of new motivations, enhanced means of delivery and AI -devised payloads there should be no cause for [...] More

Tim Willasey-Wilsey
Opinion

Twenty-Five Years Later, Remembering 9/11

Mark Kelton

In “Aftermath,” a 1919 retrospective poem on his war, Siegfried Sassoon asked: “Have you forgotten yet?” “Look up,” he appealed, “and swear by the green of the spring that you’ll never forget.”[1] With the approach of the [...] More

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News & Analysis

Are We Ready for AI Warfare?

Are We Ready for AI Warfare?

EXPERT INTERVIEW -- For decades, national security officials have worried about cyberattacks moving at the speed of machines and today the frontier [...] More

International

Opinion

The Battle for Decision Autonomy, The New Front in Strategic Competition

Dave Pitts

The Battle for Decision Autonomy, The New Front in Strategic Competition

This is the talk Dave Pitts gave at the Sarajevo Security Conference in September 2026, which was based on the talk presented at the Cognitive [...] More

Alternative Perspectives Dave Pitts

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

A Quarter-Century Reckoning With America's War On Terror
A Quarter-Century Reckoning With America's War On Terror

Debut Spy Thriller Short On Tradecraft — Long On Thrills
Debut Spy Thriller Short On Tradecraft — Long On Thrills

From Ground Zero to Grace — A Journey Through Trauma to Service
From Ground Zero to Grace — A Journey Through Trauma to Service

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The Best National Security Gossip

RUSSIA PRACTICES CABLE-CUTTING, GETS CAUGHT MID-REHEARSAL: Russia's GUGI, a secretive Russian military unit whose entire job is apparently finding ways to tamper with the ocean floor, brought its homework to the Arctic this spring, and NATO reportedly caught them in the act. Reuters reports that British, Norwegian and U.S. forces tracked and confronted Russian submarines near Norway's Svalbard archipelago as they tested a new weapon that western officials believe was built to sever undersea fiber-optic cables without leaving a trace. The cables in question carry communications data between Svalbard and mainland Norway. [...] 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

Upcoming: 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

Artificial intelligence, drones and commercial satellites are transforming the way intelligence is collected, analyzed and used — but as technology delivers answers faster than ever, how do intelligence professionals make sure those answers are actually right?

In this episode of The Cipher Brief’s State Secrets Podcast, Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, former Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and former Director for Intelligence on the Joint Staff, to discuss how emerging technology is changing intelligence and the character of modern warfare.
Whitworth explains his concept of “drones, codes and spacecraft,” why AI could fundamentally change the intelligence cycle, and the danger of what he calls a “veneer of understanding” — having information at our fingertips without the expertise or rigor needed to truly understand it.

The conversation also explores source validation in the age of AI, the changing nature of deterrence, NGA’s role in warning and targeting, the growing importance of commercial satellite imagery, and Whitworth’s move from government into the private sector.The Cipher Brief brings together experienced intelligence, military, diplomatic and private-sector leaders to help subscribers understand what is happening behind the headlines - and what national security professionals are watching next. Learn more at: www.thecipherbrief.com

Become a Subscriber+ member for exclusive access to The Cipher Brief’s Daily Open Source Report, described by some as the best, unclassified national security report they’ve ever read. Sign up today at: https://www.thecipherbrief.com/subscr

Learn more about how to attend the 2026 Cipher Brief Threat Conference at: www.tcbconference.com

Today’s sponsor: Two Six Technologies https://twosixtech.com/