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

The Brave New World of Drone Swarms

AI-driven drones that “talk to each other” will change warfare and threaten the homeland

The Brave New World of Drone Swarms

DEEP DIVE – A drone weapon heads behind enemy lines, on a mission to kill troops and destroy equipment. To its left and right are a dozen other armed [...] More

Tech/Cyber
Open Source Report logo

The Open Source Report

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a press conference following talks with his Kazakh counterpart in Moscow on October 22, 2025

Global Intelligence Report for Monday, November 10, 2025

Senate advances plan to end historic shutdown in bipartisan breakthrough

Russia's Lavrov says he is ready to meet with Rubio, but sticks to demands for ending war

US replaces Israel overseeing humanitarian aid into Gaza – report

Nigeria’s army chief vows to crush insurgents amid US pressure over religious violence

Access Today’s Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

America’s Next National Security Crisis: A War on Its Own Energy Base

Vice Admiral Robert Harward (Ret.)

OPINION — Every mission begins with trust. In World War II, the U.S. government trusted private energy producers to deliver aviation gasoline at record scale, and those companies trusted Washington to stand behind them. [...] More

national securityEconomics

Trump’s Trip Was a True “Pivot” to East Asia

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

OPINION — President Trump’s meetings in East Asia last week did more to enhance our relationship with a few allies and partners in the region than the past fifteen years of talking about a “pivot to Asia”.Yes, showing the [...] More

ChinaAmbassador Joseph DeTraniAsia
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News & Analysis

Hicksville, N.Y.: A Long Island Rail Road employee disinfects a train car with an eco-friendly cleaner while at the Hicksville, New York LIRR station on March 19, 2020.

Can High-Tech “Sensor Fusion” Revolutionize Biosurveillance?

DEEP DIVE – It’s the opening act in a potential public health nightmare: a chicken dies on a farm, for no apparent reason; another perishes at a farm [...] More

Tech/Cyber

Opinion

Why Putin Is Losing The War In Ukraine That He Thinks He Is Winning

Gilbert W. Merkx

Why Putin Is Losing The War In Ukraine That He Thinks He Is Winning

OPINION — The Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in January 2022 is now approaching its fourth year. The cost for Ukraine has been very high, but [...] More

RussiaUkraineGilbert W. MerkxEuropeAlternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Tapping a China Vibe in South Koreaplay icon

Tapping a China Vibe in South Korea

The Open Source Report

Book Reviews

Central Europe Survives: A Battlefield of Ideas Still Unfolding Today
Central Europe Survives: A Battlefield of Ideas Still Unfolding Today

Realism and Rivals: McCloskey’s The Persian Rings True
Realism and Rivals: McCloskey’s The Persian Rings True

Behind the Mask: The Politics of Hidden Intervention
Behind the Mask: The Politics of Hidden Intervention

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The Best National Security Gossip

CONVERTING UNIFORMS TO UPLOADS: Turns out the military isn’t just about drills and deployments anymore. Business Insider recently ran a three-part series about some military members making more from their side hustles of TikTok dances and viral videos than they get from Uncle Sam. The appropriateness and legality of some of this stuff is a bit fuzzy. But we can understand the attraction of the side gig. YouTube is not as likely as the feds of threatening to withhold your paychecks, after all. The latest article notes that “Military guidelines prohibit advertisements, but don't address newer ways influencers can make money [...] 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

Shawn Chenoweth has one of the most fascinating titles in government, Director of Cognitive Advantage at the National Security Council. Sean explains the concept of cognitive advantage, the challenges of measuring success, and talks about the 'Kill Web' concept, which highlights the interconnectedness of information and cognitive processes in modern warfare.

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.