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

13 April, 2026

Hollie McKay

13 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

Tech/Cyber

The Open Source Report

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press following a G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting with Partner Countries before his departure at the Bourget airport in Le Bourget, outside Paris, on March 27, 2026. Foreign ministers from the G7 will take part part in a two-day meeting with European nations and allies seeking to narrow differences with the US on the Middle East war while keeping other crises like Ukraine and Gaza high on the agenda. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Global Intelligence Report for Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Iran proposes suspending nuclear activity for up to 5 years as tenuous negotiations continue

Rubio to host Israeli, Lebanese ambassadors for talks amid ceasefire effort

Johnson faces tight timeline to pass FISA reauthorization before expiration

Surge in agentic AI usage triggers severe computing power shortages for Anthropic, OpenAI

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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

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

Editor's Note: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was originally enacted as a post 9/11surveillance program that allows the government to collect electronic communications of foreign nationals [...]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

14 April, 2026

General Paul Nakasone (Ret.)

14 April, 2026

Suzanne Kelly

The Navy is changing the way it does business and its still pretty pricey

OPINION -- "After a rigorous, data-driven analysis, we've made the tough but necessary decision to inactivate the USS Boise. This strategic move allows us to reallocate America’s highly-skilled workforce to our highest [...] More

14 April, 2026

14 April, 2026

News & Analysis

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

07 April, 2026

Hollie McKay

07 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

Middle East Iran

Can the U.S. Win the Critical Minerals Competition?

What U.S. national security interest binds Greenland, Argentina, the Congo, and the Cook Islands? What was the impetus for the recent “strategic [...] More

02 April, 2026

Tom Nagorski

02 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

What U.S. national security interest binds Greenland, Argentina, the Congo, and the Cook Islands? What was the impetus for the recent “strategic [...] More

02 April, 2026

Tom Nagorski

02 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

United States Americas North America

The Chalk Mark Still Matters: Russian Espionage Handling in the Modern Era

KREMLIN FILES: A brush of a hand against a park bench with chalk; or, a piece of electrical tape left on a mailbox. Sometimes it’s a coded phrase [...] More

31 March, 2026

Sean Wiswesser

31 March, 2026

Ryan Simons

KREMLIN FILES: A brush of a hand against a park bench with chalk; or, a piece of electrical tape left on a mailbox. Sometimes it’s a coded phrase [...] More

31 March, 2026

Sean Wiswesser

31 March, 2026

Ryan Simons

Blockade by Permission: How Iran Determines Who Gets Through Hormuz

For roughly two weeks, the Karachi, a Pakistani-flagged Aframax tanker loaded with crude at Das Island in Abu Dhabi, sat waiting for a signal that [...] More

30 March, 2026

Hollie McKay

30 March, 2026

Ryan Simons

For roughly two weeks, the Karachi, a Pakistani-flagged Aframax tanker loaded with crude at Das Island in Abu Dhabi, sat waiting for a signal that [...] More

30 March, 2026

Hollie McKay

30 March, 2026

Ryan Simons

Middle East Iran

Opinion

America’s AI Strategy Is Fighting the Last War

America’s AI Strategy Is Fighting the Last War

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

10 April, 2026

Dr. Jon Rosenwasser

10 April, 2026

Alvin W. Graylin

10 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

Tech/Cyber Alternative Perspectives

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Inside the New Battlespace: CIA Veteran Glenn Corn on Ukraine, Iran, and the War Already Underway

What does modern warfare actually look like - on the ground?

Inside Russian Intelligence: CIA Insider on Putin’s Playbook, Ukraine & the Next War

ISIS Reawakens: Bondi Beach Attack Signals a New Terror Threat

Book Reviews

Putin's Dangerous, Corrupt, and Often Incompetent Spies

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

Thus Spoke Henry Kissinger

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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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

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CIG's Pick: 2026 Asness Summit

Upcoming: 23 April, 2026

NATO is Moving Closer to 'Gloves Off' in the Gray Zone

NATO Goes 'Gloves Off'

Subscriber+ Exclusive Virtual Event

Beth Sanner

06 April, 2026

Ryan Simons

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.

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