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

Is the U.S. lagging when it comes to drone warfare superiority?

After years of observing from afar, the U.S. is now confronting the economic and operational realities of drone warfare in real time.

Drones Spotted Being Used Illegally

When Iranian Shahed drones began tearing through the Gulf in the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, killing American service [...] More

Tech/Cyber
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The Open Source Report

FORT BRAGG, NC - FEBRUARY 14: Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne division wait to deploy to Poland on February 14, 2022 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. An estimated three thousand soldiers will be deployed as tensions rise in Eastern Europe. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Global Intelligence Report for Wednesday, April 15, 2026

U.S. sends thousands more troops to Mideast as Trump seeks to squeeze Iran

House GOP advances FISA extension after late-night Rules Committee vote

China moves to block entrance to disputed South China Sea shoal, images show

Europe drafts postwar plan to free up Hormuz without U.S.


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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Copy of Trump’s Cyber Strategy Is a Strong Playbook, but It’s All in the Execution

Zachary Shaw
Hassan Abbas
Antonia Pup

OPINION — The White House is making a significant effort toward putting the nation’s cyber house in order. A newly released National Cyber Strategy represents a big step in the right direction for U.S. national security [...] More

Cyber

Avoiding Another 9/11: 3 Key Reasons to Reauthorize Section 702

General Paul Nakasone (Ret.)

Editor's Note: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was originally enacted as a post 9/11surveillance program that allows the government to collect electronic communications of foreign nationals [...] More

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News & Analysis

U.S. And Israel Wage War Against Iran

U.S. Intel’s Sobering Assessment of Iran’s War Resilience

Six weeks into Operation Epic Fury, with airstrikes having killed a sitting supreme leader, wiped out scores of top military and intelligence [...] More

Middle EastIran

Opinion

America’s AI Strategy Is Fighting the Last War

Dr. Jon Rosenwasser

America’s AI Strategy Is Fighting the Last War

Alvin W. Graylin

America’s AI Strategy Is Fighting the Last War

OPINION — Washington’s strategy for artificial general intelligence (AGI), or the ability to replace human cognitive labor, assumes the United States [...] More

Tech/CyberAlternative Perspectives

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Book Reviews

Allies In War, Partners In Peace
Allies In War, Partners In Peace

Putin's Dangerous, Corrupt, and Often Incompetent Spies
Putin's Dangerous, Corrupt, and Often Incompetent Spies

Finally, a Taiwan Strategy That Goes Beyond "Do Something"
Finally, a Taiwan Strategy That Goes Beyond "Do Something"

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The Best National Security Gossip

TOUGH SPELL FOR THE PENTAGON: On Friday, the Pentagon’s “Rapid Response” social media shop posted a slick highlight sizzle reel to tout what the Department accomplished during the week. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed the chyron identifying the Assistant Press Secretary Riley Podleski rendered her title as "SECRATARY." When last we checked, it hadn’t been fixed – but hey, there’s a war on, you know? Maybe they got rid of their spell-checker when they banned Anthropic.SECRET DIS-SERVICE: It has been alleged that a Secret Service agent-in-training for some reason decided to hone his surveillance skills by hiding a spy camera in [...] 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

Podcasts

State Secrets


In this episode of State Secrets, former CIA Senior Operations Officer Sean Wiswesser examines the evolution of Russian intelligence - from Soviet-era tradecraft to modern hybrid warfare. He unpacks Moscow’s strategic mindset, its transactional relationships with partners like Iran, and its enduring focus on weakening democratic systems. With insights drawn from decades in the field, Wiswesser explains what most people misunderstand about Russia - and why that matters now more than ever.