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

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

Middle East Iran
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The Open Source Report

U.S and South Korea Forces Take Part In Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025 YEOJU-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 27: U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division and South Korean soldiers participate in a river crossing exercise as part of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on August 27, 2025 in Yeoju-gun, South Korea. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise is a regular joint military exercise between U.S. and South Korean troops to prepare for potential emergencies on the Korean Peninsula. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Global Intelligence Report for Monday, August 17, 2026

Trump orders military to reduce joint exercises with South Korea, says drills send North Korea ‘inappropriate and hostile’ signal

Kushner meets Hamas leaders to push Gaza demilitarization

Top U.S. Middle East commander visits long-deployed aircraft carrier

U.S. to tell partners they must pick sides in AI race with China, internal draft shows

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

It is in the U.S. interest to Support Democratic Legitimacy in Venezuela

Ambassador Patrick Duddy

The Trump administration’s response to the catastrophic earthquakes that hit Venezuela seven weeks ago was impressive: timely, massive and appropriate. This should reassure those who worried that the administration’s [...] More

Opinion

It’s Time For The President To Level With The American People on Iran

Mark Fowler

The U.S. administration’s strategic expectations are increasingly colliding with a set of hard realities. While Iran has taken a considerable beating, it remains standing and does not appear on the verge of either [...] More

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News & Analysis

TOPSHOT-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR-TRANSPORT-HORMUZ

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

Middle East Iran Brad Christian

Opinion

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

Ari Ben Am

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

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

Technology Has Not Replaced Geography and Human Judgment
Technology Has Not Replaced Geography and Human Judgment

Lessons on Political Violence, State Capacity, and Democratic Resilience
Lessons on Political Violence, State Capacity, and Democratic Resilience

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The Best National Security Gossip

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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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

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of April 9, 2027. This Black-Tie event is invite-only. Please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 09 April, 2027

Podcasts

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.