The Cipher Brief

Inside Iran’s New Wartime Leadership

Months of assassinations have hollowed out Iran’s old leadership and elevated a new generation of IRGC power brokers, as Tehran struggles to dispel questions about Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and ability to govern.

Iranians Commemorate The Death Of Imam Reza

Tehran’s new power brokersA wave of assassinations rebuilt Iran’s leadership from the top down, leaving a severely wounded supreme leader and a [...] More

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Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

There Will be Unseen Costs to be Paid over the War in Iran. Who is Weighing Them?

EXPERT INTERVIEW – With an interim agreement expected as early as today between the U.S. and Iran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping [...] More

Open-Source Intel Makes U.S. Troops an Easier Target for Iran

Open-Source Intel Makes U.S. Troops an Easier Target for Iran

Iran is reading American service members’ social media feeds to deadly effect. The fact is that not all intelligence must be gleaned from secret, [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

ESPIONAGE ON THE HORIZZEN: Reportedly, a small Brisbane consultancy called Horizzen had a few domestic clients, no interest in expanding, and no plans to hire anyone in the U.S. That didn't stop applications pouring in. Starting mid-2025, according to the Guardian, Horizzen fielded calls and applications from strangers touting defense and security credentials for jobs the firm never posted. Turns out someone had cloned the company’s name, logo, and website into a fake "international consultancy" advertising defense, trade, and politics roles. It wasn't alone. The FBI seized 13 such domains back in June with the assistance [...] More

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State Secrets

Artificial intelligence is transforming cyber warfare - and former NSA Director and U.S. Cyber Command Commander Gen. Paul Nakasone says the speed of that transformation demands a new approach to America’s defense.

In this episode of The Cipher Brief’s State Secrets podcast, Suzanne Kelly sits down with Gen. Nakasone to discuss how AI is reshaping offensive and defensive cyber operations - and why increasingly autonomous systems could fundamentally change the role humans play in cyber conflict.

They examine China’s penetration of U.S. telecommunications and critical infrastructure, cyber threats from Iran, Russia and North Korea, the growing ransomware threat, the race to prepare for quantum computing, and what Ukraine is teaching the world about autonomous warfare.

Gen. Nakasone also explains why America’s intelligence capabilities remain a critical competitive advantage, why defending critical infrastructure requires deeper partnerships between government and the private sector, and what national security leaders should be watching now.

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Months of assassinations have hollowed out Iran’s old leadership and elevated a new generation of IRGC power brokers, as Tehran struggles to dispel questions about Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and ability to govern.

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Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.)

Admiral Sandy Winnefeld (Ret.), Former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Guy C. Swann III

Lt. Gen. Michael Groen (Ret.)

General John R. Allen (Ret.)