The Cipher Brief

Middle East at the Brink: Norm Roule on Iran, Israel, and the High-Stakes Struggle Taking Shape

As a fragile ceasefire faces new strains, former National Intelligence Manager for Iran Norm Roule examines the competing military, economic, and diplomatic forces shaping the next phase of the Israel-Iran confrontation.

U.S. Continues Maritime Blockade In Strait Of Hormuz

As tensions between Israel and Iran continue to evolve following a weekend Iranian ballistic missile attack against Israel, policymakers and markets [...] More

The Open Source Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Invisible Conflict: Defending Against Hybrid Non-Kinetic Warfare

Invisible Conflict: Defending Against Hybrid Non-Kinetic Warfare

War doesn’t always look like war anymore. Hybrid non-kinetic warfare is an increasingly popular means for threat actors to orchestrate prolonged [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

IS THAT A GIANT ZEBRA? Russia appears to be taking camouflage cues from World War I in an effort to hide some of the military equipment its using in Ukraine. Images circulating from the occupied Ukrainian territory show Russian KamAZ logistic vehicles covered with black-and-white camo stripes. They look like a giant zebra but experts say the paint schemes could alter the vehicle’s visual signature, making it more difficult to identify by automated systems. The camouflage was originally designed in the First World War to distort a naval vessel’s outline. Russia has used similar tactics before by placing tires on aircraft [...] More

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State Secrets

What happens when artificial intelligence, climate disruption, geopolitical rivalry, and information warfare collide?

In this episode of the State Secrets Podcast, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired Admiral James Stavridis and bestselling author and former Marine Eliot Ackerman to discuss their new novel, 2084—the final installment in their acclaimed trilogy that began with 2034 and 2054.

Drawing on decades of military, intelligence, and geopolitical experience, Stavridis and Ackerman explore a future shaped by climate-driven migration, AI-powered conflict, surveillance, shifting global power centers, and the growing competition for influence in the Arctic and beyond. They explain how fiction can serve as a strategic warning, helping readers imagine future crises before they become reality.

The conversation also examines the risks of cognitive warfare, autonomous weapons, U.S.-China tensions, democratic resilience, and why—despite the challenges ahead—the authors remain cautiously optimistic about humanity’s ability to navigate the century's biggest threats.

If you care about the future of national security, technology, and global stability, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.