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

The Kremlin Files: Russia’s Way to the Gray Zone

In the first of a 2-part series, former Senior CIA Officer Sean Wiswesser explains the below the radar ways that Moscow is waging war on the West

Two men in a serious conversation, one in a suit, the other in a military uniform.

THE KREMLIN FILES / COLUMN — Russian hybrid warfare, often referred to in the West as “gray zone” conflict, has transitioned from theoretical concept [...] More

EuropeRussia
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The Open Source Report

<span>Global Intelligence Report for Monday, January 26, 2026</span>

Global Intelligence Report for Monday, January 26, 2026

Minnesota tensions flare as state and federal officials clash over fatal shooting of U.S. citizen

New DoD defense strategy spotlights Golden Dome, counter-drone, defense industrial base

Ukraine peace talks end on positive note as officials tease future meeting

Chinese leader Xi’s determined purge of military brings its top general down


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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

They're Coming for Our Kids: How Extremists Target Children Online

Dexter Ingram

OPINION — September is National Preparedness Month - when we check our emergency kits, review evacuation routes, and prepare for natural disasters. But this year, as I sat in conference rooms at the Eradicate Hate Global [...] More

Tech/Cyber

The Next FATF Test: Can the West Demand Results from Pakistan?

Siddhant Kishore

OPINION — In the shadow of Mexico City's historic Palacio de Bellas Artes, global financial watchdogs will convene in February 2026 for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary and Working Group Meetings. In [...] More

Asia
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News & Analysis

New Reports Reveal Years of Unaddressed Osprey Safety Risks

New Reports Reveal Years of Unaddressed Osprey Safety Risks

DEEP DIVE — It is one of the most lauded defense developments in recent decades, providing preeminent capability to U.S. military personnel [...] More

Americas

Opinion

The Coast Guard's Mission in the Gray Zone

Harrison Kass

The Coast Guard's Mission in the Gray Zone

OPINION — U.S. defense planning rests on the assumption that wars are fought abroad, by expeditionary forces, against defined adversaries. For [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

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Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

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Book Reviews

Kilowatt of Wrath: Revenge and Assassinations via Secret Cooperation
Kilowatt of Wrath: Revenge and Assassinations via Secret Cooperation

From Shah to Supreme Leader: A Revolution Gone Wrong
From Shah to Supreme Leader: A Revolution Gone Wrong

When Journalism Met Totalitarianism: Lessons From Prewar Paris
When Journalism Met Totalitarianism: Lessons From Prewar Paris

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The Best National Security Gossip

A REASON TO TOAST – The Cipher Brief is hitting the treadmill this week to make sure they can fit into their black-tie evening attire by March 13, when they're rolling out a series of awards recognizing leading national security professionals who have made the greatest impact in a range of areas including; Cyber, Intelligence, Investment, Journalism and Alliances among others. We already know that former NSA Director General Paul Nakasone (Ret.) will be recognized with the Impact in Cyber Award and former senior CIA Officer Janet Braun will be recognized with this year’s Impact in Intelligence Award. We expect at least [...] More

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Events

Live Events

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2026 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of March 13, 2026. This Black-Tie event is invite only, please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 13 March, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets

From cyber vulnerabilities to supply chain risk, Cipher Brief Expert and former National Intelligence Manager for Counterintelligence Sandrea Hwang tells State Secrets Podcast host Suzanne Kelly why modern national security threats are no longer distant or abstract and why protecting data, infrastructure, and innovation now requires whole-of-society cooperation.

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.