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

Exactly how could AI kill humans?

As AI systems grow more autonomous, experts warn the real danger may not be malicious machines—but systems moving faster than humans can control them.

Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton walked out of a closed-door Capitol Hill briefing on September 17 and gave lawmakers a deadline.“Maybe a year, but not [...] More

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

The Future of Iran Lies Beyond the Regime

The U.S. administration is pursuing its latest strategy: a naval blockade combined with aggressive “Outcast” sanctions, aiming to strangle the Iranian economy, force the regime to its knees, and compel it to return to [...] More

Opinion

How War Starts: A Warning from the Korean DMZ

The current landmine incident in the Demilitarized Zone of the Korean Peninsula could escalate into conflict on the Korean Peninsula.South Korea and the United Nations Command said North Korea violated the Korean War [...] More

News & Analysis

Moscow Kremlin - stock photo

How America Appeased Putin

Excerpt from Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and WestWhen Spies was first published in 2023, it made front-page news with the chilling [...] More

Opinion

How America Wins the AI Race With Open Source

Speaking in Shanghai on July 17, Xi Jinping offered the world a vision of AI “for the positive, for good and for humanity.” He called for open [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

STILL ON THE DISTRIBUTION LIST: August Hanning ran Germany's Federal Intelligence Service from 1998 to 2005 but there are some suspicions that he never really fell off the distribution list. (His former outfit is known as the BND - because the “Bundesnachrichtendienst” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.) According to the BBC, Hanning was arrested this week on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power. Police also arrested Manfred D., his former chief of staff, who stayed at the BND until this year. Prosecutors allege that Manfred D. used that perch to pass Hanning about [...] 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

A 10th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION of the State Secrets Podcast with Suzanne Kelly and Brad Christian as they share the behind-the-scenes stories from the past decade as The Cipher Brief prepares to host the Cipher Brief Threat Conference. From a world where terrorism was front and center and AI was still a curiosity, to today’s world, where China remains the pacing threat, and is buoyed by rapidly emerging technology and a new alignment with Russia, Iran and North Korea.